Process for Watercolor Studies

I've already shared the finished scans of these watercolors, but for you process hounds, I thought I'd also share the step by step for several of the watercolor studies.

These paintings were done at the end of my workday, utilizing colors I'd already mixed for dayjob projects, or colors either straight from the palette, or mixed on the fly.  I wanted to focus on painting what I saw, not what my habits were used to mixing.

For me, there is a division between Becca, the watercolor illustrator (painting from imagination, sometimes with loose reference) and Becca the aspiring watercolor artist who works closely with reference.  My materials are different, my methods are different, my expectations are different.  I have no formal training in watercolors, no classroom experience in being taught how to paint with these materials, and the methods and materials I use were either recommended to me through books, websites, and Youtube, or were products and techniques I stumbled upon while testing materials out.  Although I've taught workshops on watercolor, the focus is watercolor for illustration or comics, not watercolor fine art, and I still have a lot to learn.

Although it is too late to order a commission in this style for Christmas, I'm still available to take them for post-Christmas delivery.  Send me an email with your reference image for a quote!






























There are lots more process photos under the cut!































































































































I have a video process for this one, if you'd like to see HOW I go about painting!



















































































































































































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