Just keep painting. Progress from the 1st Gouache to the latest.
In early December, I bought myself a little treat. A 48 split-cup Himi Gouache. I had never worked with jelly gouache. My only experience was artist's loft gouache and uh....That was a well meaning secret Santa gift from someone who didn't art and I was incredibly thankful but let's not talk about those ever again.
Anyway, I probably shouldn't have gone with Himi as a beginner but you know what? Spite's gotten me pretty far.
Anyway, I thought: "Well, I've been painting with watercolor for a few years now. How hard could it be? I don't need a tutorial."
Ha ha ha hahahahahah. Yeah I did.
So then I discovered a tutorial by Ruth Wilshaw and decided, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe I should follow one?
Oh. OHhhhh, that's a little bit better?
And then I 've just been steadily following their tutorials from there, because the things they teach and paint as almost exactly the things I want to learn. Mystical places, glowy lights, magical ambience.
Last Friday's progress of the above tree. Looking forward to working on this more.
At any rate, thank you for looking! And any advice for Jelly Guoache, tips and tricks for beginners like myself, always welcome!
Things I learned VERY quickly:
1. Do not use Canson watercolor for any big pieces. I hope you have fun with it for practice, but it's no beuno for big detailed pieces. The paint pigment sits on top of the paper and will reactivate previously dried layers if you look at it sideways. Meanwhile, 100% cotton hot press paper is a DREAM for painting layers with little reactivation.
Angled flat brushes are handy, not just round.
Follow the tutorials--whether about layering, brush strokes, mixing, or painting a whole piece--until you are comfy enough to try something yourself.