Essentials Cafe

I decided to have another go at watercolour.

I used the auto detailed watercolour.  But since the edges needed cleaning and the image refining a bit more, I then went on to use the flat water blender, the simple watercolour cloner and the chalk cloner.

Ric, I will be most interested to hear what you think about this finished image, and also what you do when you paint with watercolours, since this is something you are very passionate about.

I think the composition is beautiful here, and the colouring of the swan's feathers. Personally I would like to see the swan standing out a bit more from the background, and would perhaps darken the water and the grass - but perhaps this is just that we have different approaches to subjects. I think the watercolour effect is convincing.

Your swan is beautiful, Diane! I love the colors. your use of watercolor here is inspiring; I think I will go visit my friend Michael at his farm. He has two swans, and I will take some pix and see what I can do with them!

Well, i think you have done a great job personally Dianne. I like the colour and the light but thats my opinion. The one thing i think that would improve this is if you got rid of the vignette. If you notice the bottom you will see it is encroaching ( i ate the dictionary today) on the birds feet. the image is great and doesnt need the vignette IMO !

I am not too good at using or being ale to associate the different brushes when tidying up a photo ( corel, can you categorise these brushes a little better next time for dumbo's like me, or enable moving brushes from one folder section to another ?) so i would have just used the brush that did the main photo to touch up, but im glad you used whatyou did. I love swans ( coming from swansea as well). Well done.

Now here is one that seems to be catching something of that lovely translucency of water colours. This is fresh and delicate. 

Just a personal thing Dianne, I'm not keen on the ragged edges in autopaint and would rather use an erasor or blender and create my own.

 

Thanks guys for the comments. Interesting about the vignette.  In E3 there was a slider and you could adjust the size of the vignette which was really useful, I haven't found where they've hidden it now, or perhaps it doesn't exist. 

Ric I too have trouble finding which brushes to be used with what and wonder whether they should colour code them or something.  I have found these only by trial and error, that's why I thought I would mention them. I've been watching what Buddy uses, because I have seen him make some good choices, and have started a little notebook.  That way I can remember some of what I have used, because my memory is not that good, and at least I'll have it to refer to later, or I can put down someone elses successes. Also I have a habit of learning a thing and then later on forget how I did it.  If I have a few notes I have more hope of doing it again.  I was getting so many scraps of paper with things written on.

I've been really enjoying painting the birds, but then I do love birds.  I'm glad you enjoyed this painting.

I mean to write it all down too dianne, but i forge to write down the stuff I'm about to forget, and then forget to remember i forgot in the first place, and then i get confused !

ooh ooh . . . I like this very much. very pleasing!