I'm 19-years-old and I got your quote without even thinking. I love classic folk-rock. I'm excited to have found your channel because I would like to switch to watercolor from markers for my illustrations but I don't know where to begin!
Thank you again. I like your 'study' idea with the four sectioned off paper. This can further serve as a reference sheet when I'm trying to decide what sky to use. Thanks, Barbara
oh I really appreciate your stressing doing studies, and not trying to do whole paintings, as a beginner. I"m in a class and the teacher always gives us whole pictures to paint and I often go out so frustrated because there are way too many elements! just let me do sky, or mountains, or tress, or close up grass and flowers, but not everything at once! so, yes, this is a huge help. xox
I like them all. I think the fourth study looks just like the ocean crashing upon rocks and throwing white spray into the air. And Judy Collins is the version I thought of first. Love it!
I love putting your videos on when I paint...your process helps me let go and be more flexible with the outcome. I’ve noticed I tend to get frustrated when things don’t come out exactly as I was picturing in my mind (which is just about always) and your voice is so soothing!!
Thanks for this great video! Self-teaching watercolor is not easy. I struggled around for quite a while, and almost quit until I thought of a different way to approach it, and your video here solidified it for me, it was yes! he's right! That's what I need to do. I singled out what was my biggest challenge, the hardest, and it was clouds , at least clouds that could be recognized as clouds. The simple studies are invaluable! It's all there, the wash, the color, values, water control, the thought process on creating shapes, etc. all of it. And, those simple studies can be applied to most of watercolor painting, trees, water, waves, etc. the list is endless. After some confidence is achieved a cohesive painting should be a bit easier. All you need is paper, paint, and practice with no pressure on yourself, so you can enjoy the process of learning and gaining that confidence to do.Thanks again!
Love these studies, especially your "blooms". One actually reminds me more of breaking waves at the beach. Love the background music in this video - very subtle and low-key.
I just found your page and really enjoy learning from the mistakes you make. That is a sign of a GREAT teacher! Someone who is willing to show the struggle and the success. Thanks for the education, for taking the time to instruct, for being AUTHENTIC too. That speaks volumes especially to those of us who are just beginning our watercolor journey.
Wow, I loved painting 40 years ago then just got too busy - recently retired I am just rediscovering art - so glad I found your videos - thx so much for your efforts - you have taught me so much
Thank you Steve. You are an inspiration in so many ways. At 82 years, I have been watching you for more than a year. My artist son suggested I take the art supplies, which he and I bought 20+ years ago, off the shelf (I had just retired). He has been expertly guiding my attempts. My love of all elements of nature led me to try landscapes, especially sky and clouds. I have had some success thanks to other of your tutorials but I'm far from accomplished. Thank you. By the way I am a patron.
Thanks for posting this. Doing studies or simply just painting whatever comes to mind on a no-so-big piece of paper is one of the most useful things for me. It serves as a warm-up or to unblock the mind. Maybe even to keep you painting when you don't want or can't set up your space properly. I've been following your channel for about a year.
+Nrai BTW I had not thought of dividing a larger sheet for doing studies. I'll try that, making blocks or sketchbooks is time consuming and sometimes that keeps me from painting and a whole sheet is maybe too large for the spontaneity of studies.
I just found you on you tube...I like your free style... I love the idea of studies... not always creating a finished product. Allows for experimentation and learning.... this is perfect for me ! Thank you so much for sharing!
Really appreciate that you kept the final study, despite your original intention not working out. Not only is that a good example of learning no matter how experienced you are, but also how you shouldn't give up and at least attempt to salvage what may have been a "mistake" originally. I actually really liked the last one as it turned out!
"I look at clouds from both sides now, from up and down, and still somehow...it's cloud's illusions I recall, I really don't know clouds at all". I really am that old. ;)
Love your experiments....have watched a ton....but.....patiently waiting for one on waves and subtle water ripples and water reflections overtop of shallow rocks. Heres hopin! Crossing my fingers and brushes!
Joni Mitchell, "Both sides now" - I grew up on it... My mum played a lot of these songs when I was a kid. People don't write beautiful ans meaningful songs like this any more... I love painting clouds and sky with watercolour
Neil Diamond's song. I love it! My Mom had an 8-track we used to listen to when traveling. Thanks for the memory! And of course the watercolor lessons & inspiration! You're awesome!
+The Mind of Watercolor RU-vid has a video of Neil doing the clouds song. Man! That really dates me!. Ha! But probably great music for painting clouds. Thanks for telling us it's important to do studies. I've just tried to paint masterpieces. I need to loosen up! Thanks for the lessons!!!! Please don't stop! :)
I don't know if it's you or your trusty wingman Reese, but I just loved this cloud study and the encouragement to face my worst fear/greatest challenge. Reese makes it all the more entertaining with his witty silence and blank stares. Please keep him on your payroll.
I do a lot of experimenting, most of the time it ends-up in my not so good pile, but I keep them all so I can go back and learn from them, so you are so right to try and try again. Love watching you and always learning something new.
As usual, a very useful lesson, especially the tip at the end about not being afraid to do studies. I fall into the category of " never wanting to 'waste' paper" , so this was aimed directly at me and I will tAke it on board! Thanks again Steve.
Looked up reference on clouds, Both Sides Now, written by Joni Mitchell and sung by Judy Collins 1968... I remember Judy singing this... which makes me 69 years old... but you, my artist friend, amaze me and encourage me... recently found your site and a beginner at watercolor! Thank you for sharing your gift with all of us around the world, a California gramma 😄🌴🌺
"Both Sides Now" written by Joni Mitchell. Most recognized recording by Judy Collins, circa 1967. And another informative video from the dynamic duo - Steve and Reese!
I "recall" Judy Collins performing Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" at my college back in the day... love your videos. I am learning so much. Thank you for sharing your talent and expertise.
Love this video. The running thought process is fantastic. I am also a quilter and there is a pro I follow who says, "what was I thinking, you ask" which I find immensely enlightening. Also love that you show the whole process, including the mistakes. Very encouraging, since I am just learning, and make a lot of mistakes. Love your teaching style. Thanks so much, Steve!!
Really great video,not your usual perfect finished painting that most people feel they can never achieve and give up frustrated,your comment about allowing yourself to make mistakes is very important
Beautiful clouds. They are normally my nemesis. Thank you for painting these four studies and for demonstrating how a painting grows and becomes alive.
Written by Joni Mitchell in 1967, first recorded by Judi Collins in 1967. Then recorded and released by Joni in 1969....... yes I'm an old timer... :) And thank you Steve for the sky studies... love them... I'm a cloud watcher.... I really love the lower right one, reminds me of a sky I have seen before.
I never actually used phthalo blue for skies and now i cant wait to try it. I liked the idea of adding the landscape on the first clouds/mountains and i really liked the music at the background.
The lower right one looks like an ocean scene with a big wave crashing over the rocks in foreground. I really like it. Especially with the sky above it from top right study. 😀
I LOVE your attitude towards making mistakes. Very Bob Ross, but also you point out exactly what you learned from it. I'm so new to watercolors that practically everything I paint is a study, but I don't think of it that way, so I get very frustrated with myself when my paintings don't turn out the way I picture them in my mind. Thank you for reminding me that we're not all masters to begin with!
Love the yellow and purple. Always perplexed on how to do that. Now I know! I'm one of those people who blaze through paintings without doing studies and end up frustrated. Thanks Steve!
Great that you show problems as well as successes -- I learn more from watching how you approach the problems! Inspiring and freeing - I have to stop trying to make it perfect, and just enjoy the process. Thanks!
Send in the clowns :::: I saw Judy Collins play live last summer on Cape Cod with my 81-year-old mother and of course set there and wept because she sang this song :::: Thank you for encouraging us beginners and I guess everyone else to give ourselves permission to do things like studies because that something that I feel I am always trying to do with my art I’m always trying to learn and I always feel like I learned from my mistakes - watercolors new to me colored pencils or not so I kind of have a feel for persistent so to speak because I don’t know if you are familiar with colored pencil art but the time it takes ... Even if I am lowly colonist ::: The amount of information I have gleaned from my colored pencil work I think is very helpful with watercolors and I appreciate everything you do Steve and these types of things or things I feel like I can do.
Thank you for this demo. I have been disappointed and struggling with my skies as they never came out the way I wanted. Seeing this demo and trying them myself I can say that my skies have improved 200%! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Thank you so much! Love the emphasis on try, try, try! Don’t be afraid to try; we’re not just turning out finished pieces. I also love your theme verse: The heavens declare the glory of God! You did it justice!
Watching this one for a second time now that I have a bit more experience with watercolor and continue to be amazed with the quality of your videos and your teaching. So very helpful Steve, thanks again.
Thank you for these great videos! Totally agree with you doing studies. I was one of those people where I tried to make finish pieces everytime i pick up my brush. A lot of frustrations! Until I started to do studies! More freedom, and discoveries and learning.
I loved these studies, and just watching how you try different things. Your caution about trying to produce just finished pieces was good for me to hear. Thanks!
Steve, I love your videos so much. I appreciated the end of the video when you told us to give ourselves permission to be free, to be expressive and to make mistakes openly - that we'll learn and progress much faster that way. That whole little monologue really hit home with me! Thank you so much for your wisdom and insight. :)
Just started watercolor painting and for some reason I was 'cloud challenged.' Well, I took your advice of trial and error and I finally found what works for me! Yeah! Thank you!
I can't think of the name of that song, but I could hum a few bars. It's an oldie but a goodie for old folks like me. Lovely skies. That 's one of the things I really want to accomplish. I love a moody, dark sky. Those blotted clouds are a great idea . Thank you for this demonstration. You are painting as I write this. I'm astounded with every one of them!
Even though you had "the most trouble" with the bottom right, I think that is the one that turned out the most real-looking, and it's my favorite! Thanks for this upload. I've spent several years away from my painting practice and am trying to get back into it, so videos like this help me with inspiration. Keep up the great work.
🖒🖒 Late again. Thanks. Encouraging us to do studies is terrific, really. Knew it was Joni The Great at the second word. She also said, "Oh I am a lonely painter, I live in a box of paints, ..." - Joni Mitchell, A Case of You, Album: Blue, (1971) Thanks, Steve. Continue your good works, Merry Christmas! P.S. I don't want to give my age, but this'll be my 66th Christmas 😉
Thank you so much! The clouds have been off the charts here in Florida this year. They keep screaming for me to paint them! I bought the tools and now I am studying all I can before I get into it. I subscribed, and hope you are still making magic! Thank you!
*Both Sides Now* - What a beautiful song. Great video! I made a couple sky studies a couple weeks ago. They are fun. And now I have even more knowledge to try out. Thank you for it and all your other videos.
This was excellent as usual.....food for "cloud" thought. I think that I will give some studies a try tomorrow, it looked like so much fun. Thanks heeps Steve.
Skies are my pet hate. I very rarely find a painted sky that I think looks good and I definitely cannot get them how I see them, so I keep away from the beautiful clouds as much as I can. However; Mr Mitchell :)) after watching your enthusiasm you have awoken something and I am determine to “face my fear” ;)) and get down to practice practice and practice those graduated sky washes and get out those paper towels and create those blue and white heavens with a touch of colour as I see them (we get some beautiful skies on the IOW) Thank you once again for these brilliant classes and Happy Painting!
Inspiring study.. as others mentioned refreshing to see your "mistakes"... As a beginner, I'm still working on avoiding blooms/ backwashes ;) I could see the first one as a seascape if rocks and spray/splatter were added to the foreground.
I like learning by doing element studies. I think beginners get bogged down on the thought of doing a whole composition, I know I did. But doing elements makes it all much easier to put together in a composition later. I learned that by watching you and other artists. You got me started with waterlor doing trees. Now I'm going to practice clouds. I know how to do some rudimentary ones, but I'm looking to have a wider range. Great tutorial. Thanks for making learning fun. By the way, I loved seeing you on the Ask an Artist video with Lindsay@thefrugalcrafter.
+Rose Ryan Very encouraging, I'm finding that SMALL element studies keep me motivated and learning. At the right time I know I'll feel comfortable tackling a bigger, more complex composition! Love these videos!
HI Steve, beautiful work! Very good advise on making studies and allowing ourselves to make mistakes.... I love sky's, so this video hit me strongly....difficult to say which one of the 4 is my favorite.....like i said i love sky's!!!
