One thing I have learned along the way in my watercolor journey is that if I ask myself if I'm starting to go too far, I probably am, so I STOP! Right then and there I stop. I do not add one more stroke. I will put the painting aside and take a look at it the next day with fresh eyes. I will know at that point if it does need a bit more or if I made the right call and it is truly done. This works for me about 90% of time and saves me from overworking.
It’s rare to see such informative and insightful art instruction, delivered with a friendly and caring tone of voice. And beautiful, spontaneous paintings to boot! Wow. Bravo, and thank you, Steve!
"Detail drunk" - love the term and know exactly what you're talking about. The biggest and most difficult lesson that I've learned so far with my art is to LEAVE IT BE! I'll wait a few days, looking at it now and then to see if it's done or not. Sometimes it takes weeks for me to decide, but it's nice to not overwork everything and wish I hadn't.
Great episode! Speaking about Robert Simmons brushes, I remember about 40 years ago, a most informative rep. from the brush company schooling a group of us makeup artists all about the use & care of brushes. Robert's wife, Jean had an extensive array of makeup brushes that we sold in the very high-end department store that employed us in the cosmetic dept. These Jean Simmons brushes were purple-handled. Robert Simmons had a terracotta-colored handle. This American-made husband and wife company left a good impression on this, then-young makeup artist (now-old portrait artist). I still use the brushes to this day!
This is one of your most helpful videos to date! I get what you mean about the undulating/weaving transition zones. Thanks again, Steve! My day's practice is before me.
Very useful Steve, thank you. One thing I've realised is the need for decent paper. As a beginner I've tried long and hard to do these techniques on cheap non-cotton paper and always ended in disaster! I think the mindset of beginners not to "waste" money on decent paper until they have the skill to justify the expense is why many get dispirited and give up. In watercolour, THE most important thing is the paper!
Etsy has a lot of sellers that sell sample packs of different kinds of paper. I've found some really great ones that way, and not had to spend a fortune on one kind, then maybe not like it much.
I love these fun painting study sessions!! They look like miniature landscapes of various grasslands. Definitely a great help with remembering to get my transitional areas of my paintings better! It is also refreshing to see how your brush tip of your large brush folds over like I have had happening to mine & realize that it’s not something that I am doing wrong. Although I usually have my brush too loaded with water when it happens. Thanks for sharing this wonderful fun painting session with us.
This is amazing to see how, as you unfold your drawing process, you answer the precise questions we have about that process. This lesson was so interesting, thank you so much.
Thank you so much for this lesson, Steve! I'm approaching intermediate watercolor painting skill and identifying what I like and what I'd like to emulate. This video urges me to now go "back" to practicing, but not on stuff I don't care about, like flowers ad portraits (for now) and bright, gaudy colors. Your paintings please my eye every time, along with TH-cam teachers Oliver Pyle, Lois Davidson, Andrew Broussard, and others. This video was a major AHA! moment, realizing (especially in Broussard's tonal paintings and Pyle's lessons on painting distant, middle, and near trees) that it's all about edges and transitions. I hadn't really seen or understood that so clearly as I do now. And, it's not just on an intellectual level, but also spurs me to concentrate on a new skill! Thank you for nudging me ahead. I needed that! In the past, you helped me over a hurdle with the composition lesson showing how an illustrator from the somewhat near past composed in a deliberate way the rocks, male figure with a staff, and an unconscious woman below. Enormous help! Now you've done it again with edges and transitions, and I will move forward knowing where I'm going for at least this phase of my learning journey.
This was the most useful video I have seen and I have seen a bunch! Such clear description and use of a lot of different techniques in a small space. Thank you.
Thank you for these demos, they were so very helpful to me. After watercolour painting for a few years I still have problems with edges. Watching you is so soothing and seeing your results, well thank you.
OH. MY. GOSH. "I did one more..." What is that masterpiece you pulled out at the last minute!? This is gorgeous! Beautiful! Stark! Haunting! Slow-mo this, young man! 🎉
Beautiful, Steve, @The Mind of Watercolor. I love watching you do these. The Golden Naturals & the Black Velvets are absolutely my favorites & my most-utilized brushes.
TAPE RIPS PAPER - I even bought "artists" tape that says on the package "will not lift off paper", but it does. I love this video! Important topic, transition edges! Thanks!
Exciting, got me to thinking about what appears to be obvious on a much more considered level. And timely as I am simplifying a dense background complication. This was the best ever!
Loved this video showing positive and negative painting of edges! Your videos always put me on the hunt for new brushes and supplies. Several years ago you convinced me that the Silver Black Velvets were the ticket and they are my favorites. Now, this video sent me shopping for those Silver Brush Golden Natural Ultra Round 2031S Series brushes that appear to have lovely fine points for details.
Elizabeth Keefner here. This was such a great video. I know I need to practice but it can be hard to know how to or what to practice on. This was very insightful and I I plan on trying some studies tomorrow. Funny thing too though this past weekend I went to Harbor Freight with me husband and I picked up a bunch of random brushes just because I was curious what kind of interesting marks I could make with them. One of the brush types was very much like the crayola watercolor brushes.
Steve, you talk about and show us the "ugly" Crayola brush for dry brushing grass shapes, but then you cut the video to the grass already painted without showing us how you painted the grass shape! The grass shape is very nice, but it would be helpful to watch you paint it :-) Thanks for this video - very very helpful to watch you and hear you talk about all your thoughts. Always wonderful.
Never been able to use a fan brush and have the result not look like it was painted with a fan brush. Will have to watch this one again and follow along with fan brush in hand…
Hi Linda. Check out the video at the top of the Patreon feed about how to find exclusive content. All posts are shown in a blog-style, chronological format but there are filters you can apply. Since that was recent it should show up fairly recently. Try filtering by Video Extras.
You know, I just subscribed after watching one of your other videos. I'm officially unsubscribing now that I see you're bent on mingling biblical verses in with your art. I find that incredibly shameful and shallow.
Everything you said is opposite. I don't mingle anything. The verses are at the end after the "art" content. If you don't want to see them then don't. Sharing inspirational quotes from the best selling book of all time is shameful? Um, why is that exactly? Pointing to passages with profound, deep meanings, studied for centuries is shallow?...really!? Not your cup of tea? Fine! Why can't people disagree and move on rather than expressing offense and insults? Particularly when no offense has been given.
@@mindofwatercolor The book those verses come from is of itself offensive. It advocates slavery (Exodus 21 / Ephesians 6:5-8 etc) taking virgins against their will (Numbers 31:18) while killing male children and women who've been in a relationship (Numbers 31:17-18). I mean if we're taking about being offensive, the bible is the most offensive book I've ever read.
I love your reply Steve, those who are offended by everything and anything are just signs of the times. Don't ever stop sharing those inspiring words. Keep looking up!🤗🙏
@@mindofwatercolor I would've given more than $1.00 but it was my first time doing this and thought that was the only amount available to give. I'll hit you with more the next time!
What an informative study to take your “Minder’s” thru. Nicely done and appreciated. I’ve been a loyal subscriber a number of years. Thank you… you are a kind voice of tranquility with watercolor.
I've always struggled with my "foreground-ground" lol. so many gems in this one - the old beat up brushes, thinking of elements as waves (I've been doing that naturally also, thought it was because I'm a surfer)
I HAVE WATCHED YOU FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ONE OF MY FIRST PROGRAMS TO START WATERCOLOR. YOU HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS, HELPFUL AND FUN! THANK YOU.! FLORIDA GAL IN COLORADO. 2023
Just love it when you do these. Just got an itty bitty from Lebenzon (thanks to you) and I can't wait to try it on some grasses. Happy New Year Steve !
I have a feeling my fan brush will be seeing a lot more action after watching this. And with these simple paintings, if I come up with one that works, I'll repeat it a few more times but with different colours each time.
Tremendously helpful. I like prairie and grassland scenes, but couldn't figure out how to do them. I would paint one area, let it dry, and then paint in an area next to it, and then try to blend out the hard line. Which of course almost never works . Also, thanks for validating the stress factor - a lot of times I feel like it's work, rather than play to watercolor, and that sucks. 'Coincidence' that I just got out a fan brush last week that I hadn't used for ages, trying to make grasses for a vignette of a wetland, and really liked it. I'd love to see you do a scene of a wetland or marsh with grassy islands in water. Can't thank you enough for these videos - they're the best and you're a great teacher! Much love and well-wishes to you and your family.
Check out Anastasia Mily the one titled “Quick and Dreamy..” something or other..there’s just something about that video, the subject, music, colors, techniques etc..I really want to do it, she makes it look so spontaneous and effortless, it reall is a dreamy watercolor..”moonrise” is another one of hers that’s mesmerizing..
Please tell us what colors your applying to the painting as you paint...we beginners need that for sure. The colors & mixtures you are applying to different areas would be very helpful. Thank you, your paintings are beautiful 😍
I understand your color curiosity and thanks so much for watching, but I disagree about beginner needs. This lesson is about edges, not color. I use a lot of complex mixtures (sometimes just palette leftovers) so just naming a color won't help you. Beginners usually don't believe this until they become more experienced. Value is a much more important concept to learn. I do have several videos about choosing and using color.
@mindofwatercolor Thank you for answering & as you can tell from my message I am a very beginner at watercolor. I have never done wet on wet but I realized I like the look, the flow & mix of colors is fascinating 😊 but afraid I will just have a mess & don't know how to start.😯 Trying to convince my self to just give in & give it a go! Water control...how much & how little & when to use more, & when less. I am finding out water control is majorly important. From what I see it's a matter of trial & error in ones own learning experience. Love your teaching style & your paintings. Also love the Bible Quotes at the end!😃 Thank you...
One thing I have learned along the way in my watercolor journey is that if I ask myself if I'm starting to go too far, I probably am, so I STOP! Right then and there I stop. I do not add one more stroke. I will put the painting aside and take a look at it the next day with fresh eyes. I will know at that point if it does need a bit more or if I made the right call and it is truly done. This works for me about 90% of time and saves me from overworking.
It’s rare to see such informative and insightful art instruction, delivered with a friendly and caring tone of voice. And beautiful, spontaneous paintings to boot! Wow. Bravo, and thank you, Steve!
"Detail drunk" - love the term and know exactly what you're talking about. The biggest and most difficult lesson that I've learned so far with my art is to LEAVE IT BE! I'll wait a few days, looking at it now and then to see if it's done or not. Sometimes it takes weeks for me to decide, but it's nice to not overwork everything and wish I hadn't.
Great episode! Speaking about Robert Simmons brushes, I remember about 40 years ago, a most informative rep. from the brush company schooling a group of us makeup artists all about the use & care of brushes. Robert's wife, Jean had an extensive array of makeup brushes that we sold in the very high-end department store that employed us in the cosmetic dept. These Jean Simmons brushes were purple-handled. Robert Simmons had a terracotta-colored handle. This American-made husband and wife company left a good impression on this, then-young makeup artist (now-old portrait artist). I still use the brushes to this day!
A lot of people don't realize how useful painters' brushes are for make-up. Also often cheaper and better quality!
Such beauty in a minimalistic manner. I love your teaching manner!
Just WOW. You're such a great teacher. So easy to listen to, and learn from. Thank you for being such a consistent, instructive and calming channel!
Thank you, it was very interesting and a nice way to explore beyond the one-line-horizon!
I really like the last sketch. Beautiful winter landscape.
One of the BEST landscape lessons, ever! Thank you!💚
My mind swerals as I watch. This is great.
I agree! I can do this.
The little details and observations are so helpful. Makes me feel confident to continue.
This is one of your most helpful videos to date! I get what you mean about the undulating/weaving transition zones. Thanks again, Steve! My day's practice is before me.
Well, you certainly packed a ton of info into that video! 🤯
Thanks a bunch, Steve!
I’m just getting back into watercolor afternoon a two year break. This will be a good place to start my practice. 😊
wow... this was super useful! especially like that insight about the eye seeing detail at points of contrast.
Very useful Steve, thank you. One thing I've realised is the need for decent paper. As a beginner I've tried long and hard to do these techniques on cheap non-cotton paper and always ended in disaster! I think the mindset of beginners not to "waste" money on decent paper until they have the skill to justify the expense is why many get dispirited and give up. In watercolour, THE most important thing is the paper!
Etsy has a lot of sellers that sell sample packs of different kinds of paper. I've found some really great ones that way, and not had to spend a fortune on one kind, then maybe not like it much.
I got so excited when the fan brush created that branchy plant! Love that stuff. I could watch you paint all day. 🤩
great demonstrations, I definitely need to think ahead more with watercolour 😄
Excellent. Just what every nature watercolorist needs in one place.
I love these fun painting study sessions!! They look like miniature landscapes of various grasslands. Definitely a great help with remembering to get my transitional areas of my paintings better! It is also refreshing to see how your brush tip of your large brush folds over like I have had happening to mine & realize that it’s not something that I am doing wrong. Although I usually have my brush too loaded with water when it happens. Thanks for sharing this wonderful fun painting session with us.
This is the best video on using negative painting for landscape transitions. Thanks so much!
This was really great! You highlighted something we all struggle with but I haven’t really heard articulated before. Can’t wait to hit the sketchbook!
This is amazing to see how, as you unfold your drawing process, you answer the precise questions we have about that process. This lesson was so interesting, thank you so much.
Thank you so much for this lesson, Steve! I'm approaching intermediate watercolor painting skill and identifying what I like and what I'd like to emulate. This video urges me to now go "back" to practicing, but not on stuff I don't care about, like flowers ad portraits (for now) and bright, gaudy colors. Your paintings please my eye every time, along with TH-cam teachers Oliver Pyle, Lois Davidson, Andrew Broussard, and others. This video was a major AHA! moment, realizing (especially in Broussard's tonal paintings and Pyle's lessons on painting distant, middle, and near trees) that it's all about edges and transitions. I hadn't really seen or understood that so clearly as I do now. And, it's not just on an intellectual level, but also spurs me to concentrate on a new skill! Thank you for nudging me ahead. I needed that!
In the past, you helped me over a hurdle with the composition lesson showing how an illustrator from the somewhat near past composed in a deliberate way the rocks, male figure with a staff, and an unconscious woman below. Enormous help! Now you've done it again with edges and transitions, and I will move forward knowing where I'm going for at least this phase of my learning journey.
Wow! This was so informative and helpful. Makes me think in a new way, and I love the small studies. Encouraging. Thank you.
So helpful! Thank you!!!!
fantastic. I'm getting out my materials and trying these studies/paintings this afternoon.
I really enjoyed this one Steve! I'm looking forward to the extra Patreon tutorial
I love your tutorials and have learnt so much from them. Thank you.
This was the most useful video I have seen and I have seen a bunch! Such clear description and use of a lot of different techniques in a small space. Thank you.
Thanks for putting this together Steve, it was so helpful!
There was a lot of really useful information in here. Thank you!
Thank you for these demos, they were so very helpful to me. After watercolour painting for a few years I still have problems with edges. Watching you is so soothing and seeing your results, well thank you.
OH. MY. GOSH. "I did one more..." What is that masterpiece you pulled out at the last minute!? This is gorgeous! Beautiful! Stark! Haunting! Slow-mo this, young man! 🎉
Glad you liked it!!
Wow. I’m m just beginning watercolor at 64 and. Need all the tips I can get. Great instruction and guidance. Thank you.
Beautiful, Steve, @The Mind of Watercolor. I love watching you do these. The Golden Naturals & the Black Velvets are absolutely my favorites & my most-utilized brushes.
Love this… always like it if you do more - thanks Steve.
I'll be watching this video over again! You've taught me more in one video than my tutorials did in a week. You are truly ❤ thank you
Love this and that you end with scripture ❤
TAPE RIPS PAPER - I even bought "artists" tape that says on the package "will not lift off paper", but it does. I love this video! Important topic, transition edges! Thanks!
Try green painters' tape.
I just discovered making grasses with compressed air! So much fun!
Exciting, got me to thinking about what appears to be obvious on a much more considered level. And timely as I am simplifying a dense background complication. This was the best ever!
Already watched this twice! Very helpful thank you. This is a problem area for me and I get carried away with detail. Thanks again Steve
Loved this video showing positive and negative painting of edges! Your videos always put me on the hunt for new brushes and supplies. Several years ago you convinced me that the Silver Black Velvets were the ticket and they are my favorites. Now, this video sent me shopping for those Silver Brush Golden Natural Ultra Round 2031S Series brushes that appear to have lovely fine points for details.
The SBV and the Golden Naturals are good compliments. SBVs are soft, GNs have more snap.
What a great video thank u❤
Thank you so much. I just love this! I’m a beginner and I’ve learned so much already!
Thank you 😊
Thanks!
Really beautiful; wonderful advice as always.
Awesome! Thanks for this very helpful demo.🙂
Enjoyed watching these studies, blessings 😀
Great demo. Thanks for sharing!
Elizabeth Keefner here. This was such a great video. I know I need to practice but it can be hard to know how to or what to practice on. This was very insightful and I I plan on trying some studies tomorrow. Funny thing too though this past weekend I went to Harbor Freight with me husband and I picked up a bunch of random brushes just because I was curious what kind of interesting marks I could make with them. One of the brush types was very much like the crayola watercolor brushes.
This is brilliant. Thank you so much.
Thank you, sir, for sharing this.
this was really helpful! thank you!
So very helpful...thank you!
Great as always bro thanks for sharing
Steve, you talk about and show us the "ugly" Crayola brush for dry brushing grass shapes, but then you cut the video to the grass already painted without showing us how you painted the grass shape! The grass shape is very nice, but it would be helpful to watch you paint it :-) Thanks for this video - very very helpful to watch you and hear you talk about all your thoughts. Always wonderful.
They are just short little strokes like the others I did show. Nothing special. The technique is in the dry roughness of the brush.
@@mindofwatercolor thank you! You know we hang on every word and brush stroke....:-)
Very nice, Mind.. thanks 🚴
Thanks, Steve…what a nice way to help brighten the winter gloom we are having here in Wisconsin. I could watch you paint and talk for hours! :))
Thanks I appreciated
Never been able to use a fan brush and have the result not look like it was painted with a fan brush. Will have to watch this one again and follow along with fan brush in hand…
Thanks
Wonderful. I am a total beginner. How do we access the full video of the winter scene on Patreon?
Hi Linda. Check out the video at the top of the Patreon feed about how to find exclusive content. All posts are shown in a blog-style, chronological format but there are filters you can apply. Since that was recent it should show up fairly recently. Try filtering by Video Extras.
@@mindofwatercolor Thank you!
You know, I just subscribed after watching one of your other videos. I'm officially unsubscribing now that I see you're bent on mingling biblical verses in with your art. I find that incredibly shameful and shallow.
Everything you said is opposite. I don't mingle anything. The verses are at the end after the "art" content. If you don't want to see them then don't. Sharing inspirational quotes from the best selling book of all time is shameful? Um, why is that exactly? Pointing to passages with profound, deep meanings, studied for centuries is shallow?...really!? Not your cup of tea? Fine! Why can't people disagree and move on rather than expressing offense and insults? Particularly when no offense has been given.
@@mindofwatercolor The book those verses come from is of itself offensive. It advocates slavery (Exodus 21 / Ephesians 6:5-8 etc) taking virgins against their will (Numbers 31:18) while killing male children and women who've been in a relationship (Numbers 31:17-18). I mean if we're taking about being offensive, the bible is the most offensive book I've ever read.
I love your reply Steve, those who are offended by everything and anything are just signs of the times. Don't ever stop sharing those inspiring words. Keep looking up!🤗🙏
Thanks!
Great ideas, very helpful in giving different ways to think about transitions. It's always play, never practice.
Thanks!
Thank YOU Kate!
@@mindofwatercolor I would've given more than $1.00 but it was my first time doing this and thought that was the only amount available to give. I'll hit you with more the next time!
To simplify, one could use the term 'rust' for 'red iron oxide', in keeping with truth in chemistry. Love your videos!
What an informative study to take your “Minder’s” thru. Nicely done and appreciated. I’ve been a loyal subscriber a number of years. Thank you… you are a kind voice of tranquility with watercolor.
I've always struggled with my "foreground-ground" lol. so many gems in this one - the old beat up brushes, thinking of elements as waves (I've been doing that naturally also, thought it was because I'm a surfer)
this demo is very inspiring and helpful, thankyou
Very beautiful work. please tell me what size is the format of the sketchbook
I HAVE WATCHED YOU FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ONE OF MY FIRST PROGRAMS TO START WATERCOLOR. YOU HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS, HELPFUL AND FUN! THANK YOU.! FLORIDA GAL IN COLORADO. 2023
i just ound yiu and boy am i happy. i needed to do a sunset last week and i just couldnt figure it out. im now hopeful'
amazing as always, thanks for sharing ❤
This was so very helpful, thank you! 😊❤
wonderful, Thanks a lot!
Thanks for another great video! I might actually practice this. I’ll see how it goes.
Just love it when you do these. Just got an itty bitty from Lebenzon (thanks to you) and I can't wait to try it on some grasses. Happy New Year Steve !
You are a great teacher. Thanks for
Learnt a lot here, great tutorial Steve
Steve, you are a gifted teacher. This was so helpful because you simplified the process. Thank you!
Thanks Kathryn. Very kind!
I have a feeling my fan brush will be seeing a lot more action after watching this.
And with these simple paintings, if I come up with one that works, I'll repeat it a few more times but with different colours each time.
I like that idea!! 👍😉
Thanks for your great demonstrations and for explaining things so clearly. You are appreciated by many!
Tremendously helpful. I like prairie and grassland scenes, but couldn't figure out how to do them. I would paint one area, let it dry, and then paint in an area next to it, and then try to blend out the hard line. Which of course almost never works . Also, thanks for validating the stress factor - a lot of times I feel like it's work, rather than play to watercolor, and that sucks. 'Coincidence' that I just got out a fan brush last week that I hadn't used for ages, trying to make grasses for a vignette of a wetland, and really liked it. I'd love to see you do a scene of a wetland or marsh with grassy islands in water.
Can't thank you enough for these videos - they're the best and you're a great teacher! Much love and well-wishes to you and your family.
Check out Anastasia Mily the one titled “Quick and Dreamy..” something or other..there’s just something about that video, the subject, music, colors, techniques etc..I really want to do it, she makes it look so spontaneous and effortless, it reall is a dreamy watercolor..”moonrise” is another one of hers that’s mesmerizing..
Thank you for sharing this Steve. I learn something with each of your demonstrations and lessons.
Haven't been using a fan brush, but this works superbly. A very good study for confidence-building. Thank you!
Thanks!
Thanks so much!
Very informative & useful information I will apply as best I can - thank you
I wish I could like this multiple times. I'm going to try all 3 before painting anything else.
How can I deal with an overall black background with color over top the black as in a space image.
I have watched you for a few years and found this one of the best. Maybe I am just ready . Thanks for all your work
The best landscape video ever. I have seen it twice and I guess will be repeating this exercises few more times … thanks Steve
Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Steve - needed this
Please tell us what colors your applying to the painting as you paint...we beginners need that for sure. The colors & mixtures you are applying to different areas would be very helpful. Thank you, your paintings are beautiful 😍
I understand your color curiosity and thanks so much for watching, but I disagree about beginner needs. This lesson is about edges, not color. I use a lot of complex mixtures (sometimes just palette leftovers) so just naming a color won't help you. Beginners usually don't believe this until they become more experienced. Value is a much more important concept to learn. I do have several videos about choosing and using color.
Oh and colors were listed in the description. I usually try to do that at least. 😉
@mindofwatercolor Thank you for answering & as you can tell from my message I am a very beginner at watercolor. I have never done wet on wet but I realized I like the look, the flow & mix of colors is fascinating 😊 but afraid I will just have a mess & don't know how to start.😯 Trying to convince my self to just give in & give it a go! Water control...how much & how little & when to use more, & when less. I am finding out water control is majorly important. From what I see it's a matter of trial & error in ones own learning experience. Love your teaching style & your paintings. Also love the Bible Quotes at the end!😃 Thank you...
very hard to watch with all of the hand movement.