Is anyone good at water colours and can advise??

I find watercolour difficult too, these efforts are amazing! Start light and go dark and add water to create movement is what we have been taught at our class which I am missing terribly

I have several of Billy Showell's books - in fact I've lots of books on painting. I used to go to a weekly art group but with the pandemic, everying stopped. I now haven't painted for almost a year (sewn, knitted, learned to crochet, cross stitch and embroider) but I can hear my paints and brushes calling me again after reading this thread.

Billy Showell, President of The Society of Botanical Artists, does exquisite watercolour paintings of flowers, fruit and vegetables and also has lessons on youtube

www.billyshowell.com/billy/about-billy

Great paintings Ijustwantpeace

I've always been scared of drawing, painting etc but I just began after Christmas and have taught myself from scratch via YouTube ... check out Ellen Crimi-Trent, Shayda Campbell and Emma Lefebvre ... also there are lots to help with paper etc. I have just treated myself to expensive paper at a great price £13.50 Arches : Aquarelle : Gummed Watercolour Pad : 23x31cm ) from Jacksons Art... and am making little 3 by 3 inch pieces to make into cards - practising but with a purpose...my family and friends are really impressed. The good paper has made a fantastic difference.

My goodness, Ijustwantpeace, you could just reach right in and eat that strawberry! Lovely work!

Such beautiful work Ijustwantpeace
They're all brilliant!

These are lovely Ijustwantpeace. I hope you've got them framed and on the wall in pride of place.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202101/medium-541707-5ff2ec27-e474-435e-b561-8443ccc488b0.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202101/medium-110816-a24338fd-939e-496c-a4ca-486518dc2f9c.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202101/medium-734555-988381a0-4e22-4b0c-aea2-b4473c0adf3c.jpeg

I’ve been going to art classes since retiring but Lockdown put a stop to that last March. These are a few watercolours I’ve done. YouTube has some great tutorials. Steven Cronin does amazing landscapes.

I’m sure I used the brown ‘ butterfly ‘ gummed paper for stretching You wet it and put it all round wet paper on a board and it tightens as it dries . I use masking tape to attach acrylic paper but it’s different because you don’t need to stretch acrylic paper. Another tip is never to use white paint lighten your colours with water and leave paper un painted if pure white is required.

Don’t leave me stranded out here folks! I’m getting a complex!!

You're very talented Greyduster. You must also have persevered and tried lots of new approaches. lovely pictures. Come on you others!

As well as wet on wet - there's wet on dry, dry on wet . Now is there dry on dry. Experiment. Have fun
I think a rose madder for flowers & veridian for green in seascapes are useful.
I once did a whole seascape in shades of payne's grey.

Your paintings are very good Greyduster. I particularly like the Whitby one too.
I wouldn't dare post my efforts.

I like good quality tubes of water colours and paint brushes. Paper weight 140 lb - 300 g per square metre

Alexa try and get your hands on some 200lb Bockingford. You shouldn’t have to stretch that.

It’s surprising how your tastes change though. The sort of conventional landscapes that hang in our home at present, good as they are (not mine, I hasten to add!) no longer represent the sort of pictures I enjoy looking at. Pre-covid, we had a couple of annual art exhibitions in our city and over the years, the standard of work has gone off the scale. Always something new; some new technique, medium, way of looking at a subject..... thought provoking and aspirational. It’s worth seeking these exhibitions out to look at technique and what can be achieved often with a limited palette and a minimum of brushwork. Nothing like getting up close and personal with a picture.?

I like wet on wet, and then when dry put in the details with a liner brush or pen.

I would paint with water colours if I were not so lazy about stretching the paper.

Greyduster
They really are very, very good
(And I'm a very harsh critic.
Last week I got chased off a thread about Banksy; I pointed out that he couldn't draw for toffee.
Apparently 'art is art', .
Well that told me!)

Greyduster you are so talented! These are beautiful.

cling film, salt, candle wax - oh goodness! This is getting very interesting indeed - I am going to try the cling film tomorrow and see what happens.....

Yes but you didn’t see all the ones I chucked in the bin!!

Greyduster - Yes, I just love those paintings, very well done indeed. I have a lot to aspire to.....

They are excellent Greyduster