Watercolor: Start Easy (and don’t poke the bear)

I wonder why a lot of us want to jump in off the deep end right NOW!  When  we don’t know how to swim yet?

Sometimes its better to begin in the shallows, especially with watercolors.

In the shallows we can learn how to be cool, calm and relaxed.

Learn how to float… first.   Start easy.

 

 

Watercolor:  first, learn the ropes

 

Learn the ropes first.

Then start swinging from the highwire,  being that daredevil you know you are!

 

 

Create very simplified watercolor scenes

The first few weeks – just compose variations of this simple and easy design:

1.    A sky.

2.    A mountain.

3.    A foreground hill, or two.

 

 

 

With the Sky  –  The distance takes up much of the space and is very quiet.

 

The far mountain is subtle, isn’t it?

 

The incoming hills changing from Blue, to green, to the dark burnt sienna  in the Front create all the depth one needs.

To merely suggest,  and to just ‘allude’ to the landscape.

Not dotting the i nor crossing the t.

 

 

Keep it simple. To start with.

 

 

 

 

Simpler Start with Watercolors

 

Make life simpler with your  beginning  watercolor journey.

Monochromatic (1 paint) palettes are a wise choice, also very beautiful and evocative.

 

Too many colors for a beginner, to start with, can cause some real troubles.

 

Don’t poke the bear!

 

 

The above Burnt Sienna monochrome,  is subtle and filled with unity. The tonal scale is good, the clarity is fine…. I didn’t need more than the one color after all.

 

 

 

Watercolor with only Two paint colors…. still relaxed and easy on the eyes.

This is Burnt Sienna PBr7   and   Indanthrone blue PB60 in  combination,  that’s it.  Lovely duo.

 

 

related posts of interest

July watercolors I  

Monochromes  what’s great about them!

Browns  in watercolors

A Very Simple, Watercolor Leaf