Will, whose expressive and fluid approach to watercolor is always inspiring. His use of bold color and layering was what I hoped to emulate in this painting.

I leaned into the process shown in class and built up multiple layers, but eventually the paper began to pill — a clear signal that it was time to stop and reassess. Because of that, I chose not to pursue the splattered highlights in the sky and instead worked with what was already there.

The water reflections presented their own challenges. The initial reflections on the right side didn’t feel right to me, but the rest of the painting felt worth saving. Correcting that area meant letting go of the darker, more dramatic reflections I had originally planned and embracing a quieter, more subtle approach.

In the end, the piece found its own voice. While it didn’t unfold exactly as intended, the process taught me a great deal — and as always, I gained new insight from watching Will work his magic and then finding my own way through the painting.