Friday Watercolors

Here are this week's watercolor exercises. The first one is called Rocks Under Water and the second one is called Cascades and Running Water. Water is hard! I'm not crazy about the large boulder in the middle of the waterfall in the second one. It looks like it is suspended in the air instead of having the water rush around it.

The third one is the lighthouse at Sabine Pass, Texas--on the border with Louisiana. Its in a state park which is on the grounds of the Battle of Sabine Pass -- the only battle fought in Texas during the Civil War. (UPDATE: El Jefe points out that while the Battle of Sabine Pass was the most significant Civil War battle fought in Texas, there was also a battle in Galveston. The Battle of Palmetto Ranch (near Brownsville) actually took place AFTER the war was over, but word hadn't reached the combatants.)

In the exercises you use a prepared sketch and draw or transfer it on the paper and then practice the different techniques demonstrated in the videos. Rocks Under Water used a glazing technique that shows up better in real life than in the photo.

Just so you know--I'm only posting the semi-acceptable results. Today I tried to paint from a favorite photo of the San Antonio riverwalk and found myself foundering pretty badly! I will probably try that one again later--maybe when I get to the ink and watercolor lesson.