Hello!! Watercolor painting is something my mom and I really enjoy and it has been a minute since our last painting sesh. Flowers are, admittedly, the only thing we have been painting and I decided to try something different when we painted this Tuesday. I wanted to try my hand at a weeping willow! As always when I have just painted something, I am never particularly thrilled with it. However, this was my first go at anything but a flower and I feel pretty good about attempt number one:
To begin, I assembled my palette with different green, brown, and yellow watercolor paint. Then, I sketched a super rough outline with some assistance from Google Images. I started with the grass and I actually love how that turned out, then moved onto the branches. To do this, I painted the branches with water alone and then added color to the wet paper. I do like the trunk and the placement of the branches, but the upper ones got muddled when I painted the leaves. As always, it was because I was impatient!
When I painted the leaves, I started from the top down and painted the top with water then color and brought it down in thinner strokes. I think that the idea was right, but the execution was wrong. Like the branches, the colors got murky at the top. And, yes, it was because I was impatient! I should have allowed for drying time and I didn’t – especially when I was introducing new colors.
I definitely want to give the weeping willow another shot and next time, I will give myself enough time to give the painting drying time. I like the colors I used so I am not going to change that. I also like that there were areas of white within the painting too, which was a recommendation from a watercolor teacher. I’m excited to see my next painting in comparison to this one because I know there will be at least some improvement. I’m proud of myself for trying something new!
Watercolor painting is a nice reminder of try and try again and I can’t wait to paint again with my mom. I branched out with my weeping willow (See what I did there?) and it’s not the best. But, it’s the best one I have painted yet! π
What is your favorite medium of art? What is your favorite plant? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Great!!
I follow Anne Kupillas (free Friday zooms, 4pm Pacific – I can send a link), Jerry’s Artarama Live (2pm Pacific on Tuesdays), and Emma Jane Lefebvre on YouTube for ideas/demos.
Jerry’s is cool because it’s all different types of art – I’ve learned a lot from watching them paint with acrylics, gouache, and other mediums. The instructors are great! Makes me crazy how they’ll whip out a masterpiece in 60min!
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Oh Iβd love the links!!!!!! That sounds great!!!! And right?! During the class I took the instructor painted while we did too and hers was incredible! Like how?!
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I like the group because there are a wide variety of skills. Sharing your work is optional. Sometimes I just watch.
I’ll forward the next enail (which usually arrives some time Thu night) if you send me a msg at: Effini @ yahoo .com
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Yay!!!! I’ll send you an email thanks so much! β€
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Fave plant: Plumeria! But palm trees are easier to represent.
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Plumeria is so gorgeous!!! I love pansies the best!
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Pansies look pretty!
I used to have gorgeous black violas.
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OMG jealous those are beautiful!!!!
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Beautiful!
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I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!
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I like all kinds of art, sketching, painting, digital – that’s a nice piece π
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Aw thank you! It’s alright π
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It’s good π
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