First watercolor - am I done yet?

kfogelquist · #1 05-09-2012, 07:08 PM

Newbie lurker--finally posting in watercolor forum.
This is really my first watercolor ever, did a few colored pencils last year. Still might be a WIP, but might be done, and time to move on.

Ref photo is my own, did practice #1 and #2 (gag), then went for it. Learned a lot from the pros here, and tried various techniques in this piece.
Ready to learn more and try again. Thanks for looking--C&C's welcome.

Karen F.

Pansy watercolor 5x7 on Strathmore 140# cold press

Ref photo

Practice 1

Practice 2

Pansy

**Yorky** · #2 05-10-2012, 03:06 AM

Well done! Congratulations on your first painting post.

Your Pansies are beautiful, I would maybe add a little darker negative painting in the background which seems rather flat.

Doug

rickyhpierre · #3 05-10-2012, 11:01 AM

Your pansies are lovely. An excellent job for a first painting

Ricky

kfogelquist · #4 05-10-2012, 11:57 AM

Doug-thank you for taking time to look and reply. You're absolutely right about the background. It will be challenging to darken--every time I touch the background, it starts looking overworked (like in lower right).

Ricky-thank you also for your kind reply and encouragement for a beginner.

Karen F.

StephJBee · #5 05-10-2012, 12:46 PM

I wish my first watercolor had been anywhere near that good! Lovely pansies. I love the bottom half of the center flower with the vibrant yellows.

I agree with Doug about the background, but if you sense that it's becoming overworked it might be tough to make more changes. That may be due to the paper you used though; I've used some papers which looked overworked just after a couple glazes, which was frustrating.

marriam · #6 05-10-2012, 12:53 PM

This is beautiful as your first watercolor and I love your second practice too.

DKB444 · #7 05-10-2012, 01:01 PM

Karen, this is gorgeous! Like the others, I wish mine had been this good. Truly, this is very well done and I like the delicacy of the petals. IMHO, this is ready to post in the gallery. Well done and welcome to the fun of Watercolor.

Mike3839 · #8 05-10-2012, 03:09 PM

Karen, I see two photos and two practice watercolors

, just kidding. Excellent job, I think you're done.

Mike

pumkin54 · #9 05-10-2012, 03:18 PM

Very nice watercolors. Mike jokes, but seriously for a second I thought you had posted two ref photos. Great job!

noge · #10 05-10-2012, 04:13 PM

Well done

BTW Maybe a touch of red to the Pansies would be nice
(because - its the complimentary color to the green background )

kfogelquist · #11 05-11-2012, 04:57 PM

I'm somewhat overwhelmed by your many positive comments! Expected more constructive criticism.
Steph - yeah, paper is Strathmore 140# cold press, not Arches. Better use the good stuff next time. Also, I think some of the darker yellows from the bottom petals need to go up top (like in ref photo).
Marriam-glad somebody liked Practice 2 (gag again)
Debra-glad I got a "DONE" vote (I'm scared to touch that background)
Mike-2 photos? Seriously?? LOL
Pumkin-ditto on Mike
Egon--yes, I'd love to add more red. Real pansies were more purple (digital color shifted to red). I had already tried adding some Perm Rose wash, and it helped. Aliz Crimson was too much... My WC palette is only 7 colors so far, and only have those 2 reds.

Thanks so very much to all of you for taking time to comment. I do not know how you find time to draw/paint AND keep up with these forums! You're a very energetic bunch of folks!

Karen F.

**pjartwc** · #12 05-12-2012, 03:53 AM

Fantastic first painting. I tend to agree with Doug - some negative painting would work. I think anything to make the background less busy as your pansies have a lot going on and you don't want to detract. With all that said, you still have a wonderful painting!.

kfogelquist · #13 05-12-2012, 11:45 AM

Jan--thank you for the c&c-I looked at some of your threads and was inspired by your "Beginnings of Negative Painting" (#2) from the Learning Zone. I need to go there!

If I add some very subtle negative spaces in a slightly darker green, and get rid of (cover up) a few of the "blobs" of yellow and QBO, maybe it would be less busy. Altho I do like the accidental pansy blob in the lower left...

My fear is making it the background even MORE busy and/or overworked (a problem I had with floral backgrounds in Pen & Ink, and in watercolor pencil; tried to draw every stem & leaf from ref photos). I might practice on the background in PhotoShop and then give it a couple days before making any changes to the real painting. I'd like to find a balance between blurry and in focus in the background. Thanks so much for your critique!

Karen F.

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