5/31/2021 - This is not great. But it isn't the worst thing I have drawn/painted either. It was good practice. This was take two, as I tried to do this on the larger paper because I thought doing some of it in sections would be manageable, and I was wrong. I'll keep at watercolors, but I am going to consider this specific project closed. For someone who walked into these last few projects nervous/scared, they weren't as bad as I expected them to be.

Fluid 6"x8" hot press with the Reeves watercolors.

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5/30/2021 - I shut off my fans and gave the pebbles a try. I had a larger sheet of paper, and I just could not keep it wet again. Even with the fans off in my room. I tried again with a smaller piece of paper, and this time I had things TOO wet. Maybe if I get/cut a sheet between these two sizes and keep the fan off I might be more successful? I will test this later, but I did not want to spend any more time on the Pebbles today. I completed the last piece for the May workshop today, so I feel I was reasonably artistically productive today.

Pebbles first try - 9.5"x8" Strathmore paper - I set it down and came back to play with it more, but it still isn't the best. Sorry about the blue tape in the corners. I attached it to a door to get a picture of it.

Pebbles second try - 4"x6" Fluid paper - I am hopeful a size between these two papers will be a "sweet spot" for me. Because I spent way too much time trying to dab off water on this one. Again, sorry about the blue tape in the corners.

I am still having fun learning and experimenting with paper, paints, water, brushes, tools, and environmental things. I call this a win overall. At least I kept at it. My normal modus operandi is to give up/quit when things aren't coming out the way I had hoped.

I have mixed thoughts on the landscape final piece after struggling with the leaves and pebbles projects, but I am going to try come back tomorrow and at least give it a try or two.

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5/29/2021 - I got my Koi colors swatched and did some more shooting star practice before moving on to the next project.

I really struggled with keeping my paper wet. I wasn't sure if it was because of the fans/AC in here, my paper, or just me/my lack of real knowledge. So I tried out the different papers I have on hand. I had Strathmore 400 series 130lb. paper from a pad, Canson Aquarelle Cold Press 140lb block, and Fluid Hot Press 140lb. block, which I think are all okay papers?
Paper options didn't seem to make any difference, so it is either my environment or me. The only way I found to keep my paper "wet" enough was to leave a major puddle on my page. Super-standing water. I don't think that much water should be required, but maybe I misunderstood the technique?
Purple leaf is on the Fluid paper. Yellow/green leaf is on Strathmore paper.
Blue/green leaf is Strathmore paper. Muddy green leaf is on the Canson paper.

 

The textures were fun! I had ordered a dip pen after watching Ohn Mar Win's Mindset course, and it arrived while I was working on the texture piece. I need to learn more about it/how to use it. I was going to just skip it and leave the marks only, but decided I should at least try since I had an excuse.

I wanted to do the Pebble piece today too, but I was having such a difficult time keeping the paper wet I decided to wait till I did more research/was less frustrated in case it IS something I am doing and not my environment.

I was very proud of getting some decent washes down, though. My washes were VERY streaky previously, and this class allowed me to get some decent wash blocks.

 

5/28/2021 - Following along with Martin Thompson's "Understanding Watercolor" course. I watched the whole course once without participation earlier this week. I am now going back to actually apply paint to paper because I have time away from work and the May workshop is coming to a close. I am a little nervous about the leaf, pebbles, and landscape projects. I will have to work up the nerve to dive into those. Overall I really enjoyed watching this class, because I learned several things and refreshed some items I knew from way back when. (20+ years ago.)

I started with the swatch piece. These are Reeves tube colors. I received them as a gift at some point years ago. I have a set of Koi tube colors I will swatch later as well. I started with this set because there were fewer colors to swatch.
The last swatch is some white paint, which did not photograph well. If I stick with watercolors I will probably invest in a pan set, as I admittedly loved my Prang watercolors back in the late 1990s.

My printer went "hahahahaha" when I suggested watercolor paper to it, so I freehanded the shooting stars on a sheet. I didn't do a great job here because I was not taking my time. I feel like I got a handle on the blending down the tail by the time I got to the last one. With a bit more care/patience, I feel like I could do this better. I might come back to it, because I definitely feel like I learned something from this project.
I need to set aside more time and locate my actual paintbrushes, as I do feel like this is a project with merit. I have been working with my water-pens and the desire to squeeze out MORE WATER was constantly there. :)