I jumped ahead with my watercolor painting, to steps 3 and 4. First I added blue to the foreground, background, shadows, and pear. Then I added red, which looks like orange, to the orange, naturally.

In my next step, I wasn’t satisfied with my overall results after adding red to the apples, the pear stem, and the shadows. I have left out the parts that I was not happy with, using a strategy that any sensible artist would use: I cropped! So much for my figure eight idea mentioned in yesterday’s post. Now I have circular movement in a clockwise direction from orange to pear to apple. I have not been technical at all in this discussion. You must choose the paints that suit you. I like to experiment.

Planning is essential with watercolor. Even if you are patient and well-organized, and consistent, and careful, things happen. You can never be sure what your results will be. Some accidents work well, and some plans don’t. Such is the wonder and the mystery of artistic expression with watercolors!