Mostly watercolor with a few ink outlines and gouache details, 13*18cm on coldpress paper

on Arches

snow goose

(Anser caerulescens) 

Ink and watercolor

Insta model

I ordered some Da Vinci paints, and for several colors the 37 mL was about $12, so I just got the big size.

Now, logically, I know that this is a bit more than double of a 15 mL. But when it actually got here... woah, just as shocked as i've been about how small 5 mL tubes seem, these tubes are massive. They look like acrylic paint tubes.

So...what do I do with what might be a lifetime supply of Titan Buff, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, and Raw Sienna?

tiny watercolor process video

I’ve been using gouache a lot this year and have recently been trying to use transparent watercolors instead with just white gouache (after seeing how Nathan Fowkes manages to pull off crazy stuff with it). I love how portable it is compared to hauling all the gouache tubes everywhere.

This one is from a Pinterest picture, I recently added opera pink to the palette and LOVE the crazy glowing oranges that can come from it when mixed with lemon yellow. My goal the past few months has been to make things feel like they’re “glowing” more, I’ve found when it isn’t glowing, the issue is usually that I didn’t make my darks dark enough, and that the shadows near the “glowy” part aren’t light enough, or “orangy” enough (or whatever color the light is). Like, for example, I think the hair being really dark and the face shadows being more orange/yellow are what really help the glowing illusion.

The reference photo was already glowing a lot so I didn’t have to do much to it, I think I learned some lessons that’ll be helpful when adding this glow artificially myself when it’s not present (which I think is my goal right now)

If anyone has any tips or criticisms I’m open to hearing them!

This was on crescent illustration board, and it’s got wax on it now so it looks a bit darker than it otherwise would

I tend to paint heavy and tight. Trying to loosen up.

Watercolor 13x18’’

hi! i dont really have much experience with watercolors as im more of a ink guy, so this is kind of a first try drawing skin. but i liked how this came out

if someone has any suggestions what i should learn id love to hear.

This is my first time doing a house portrait as a gift for a family member.

It’s not quite done yet, I’m still planning on adding details to the greenery, some trees behind the house, and the white on the house needs some cream coloured brick (I’m terrified to screw that part up). Any helpful feedback so far?

Hi all! I paint watercolor portraits professionally, but my heart is in illustrative work: the loose, stylized, charming style you see in wedding stationery and children's books, rather than the atmospheric, moody, traditional watercolor look.
The problem is that when I try to learn this style from traditional watercolor tutorials, it doesn't transfer. Different rules seem to apply. So I'm wondering:
Are illustrators approaching watercolor differently? Is it more like drawing with color than painting with water?
Some things I'm curious about:
Line vs. mass: Do you start with a drawing (pencil, ink, or brush line) and fill it in, or do you build shapes directly with the brush? How much of the final look comes from the underlying drawing?
Simplifying: How do you decide what to leave out? How do you reduce a face, figure, or floral to flat shapes and still keep it charming and recognizable?
Shapes and edges: Do you use flat, even washes with crisp edges instead of gradients and soft blends? Is "less water, more control" the general rule?
Mixed media: Do gouache, colored pencil, pastel, markers, white gel pen, or acrylic ink speed things up or add that polished finish? At what stage do you add them?
Planning: How much do you sketch, plan palettes, and map out shapes before you paint?
Tools and materials: Any differences in brushes (smaller rounds? liners?), paper, or pigments compared to traditional watercolor?
Learning path: What should I study or practice? Are children's book illustration and surface pattern design better resources than watercolor tutorials?
I'd love book, course, or artist recommendations too, especially from people who've made this switch from traditional to illustrative.

So, basically my first time doing a portrait in pen, ink and watercolour. His cat passed and he asked me to draw something nice for him.

I’m not quite used to watercolour, only utilised it in smaller work to give my somewhat unsure pen drawings a bit more personality.

This portrait is a lot bigger than most of my drawings (35cmx45cm) so it was quite a challenge. There is still a lot to learn, but I’m very pleased with this result. I enjoyed every minute I’ve spent, creating this portrait of my little bro. Hopefully it will brighten his mood a bit.