February Art Challenge: Watercolor Painting

January's monthly art challenge was to use my stencils.  They were an easy start to the year, as they required very little stretch-- just some time to give to something I already pretty much knew how to do.

This month is different.  I am working with watercolors, and I have no idea what I am doing!!!!

I have loved watercolors since I had a Crayola set of 8 as a kid.  I was given a set of tubes of watercolor when I was in high school, but I never found time to use them.  I took a watercolor workshop this summer, so I had to purchase actual proper tubes of watercolor, good cotton paper, squirrel brushes, etc.  I made a significant investment based on my teacher's instructions, only to find that I didn't like the class (aka teacher) and didn't have a space in my studio to stretch out and test out my new toys.

So here is my first painting.  Not too bad for a first try from someone who doesn't know how to use watercolors or how to draw!!!  Reminded me of why I love the medium-- makes even the least of us look ok!

This month will be hard-- both in terms of the actual painting and the pre-painting work of creating space for this type of art.   I love the feel of watercolors and the fact that you can work quickly with them, but it seems to require much more planning than is my norm with art.  But that's what my monthly challenges are about-- to stretch and grow and figure out more about myself as an artist.  Wish me luck, and if you are a watercolor artist, please send me any tips so you don't have to look at awful work all month!!  :-)