I do a lot of my painting while I'm at work, between jobs and customers (I manage my own small business). I find that I often have to take breaks because something comes up. I've definitely noticed that I can walk away hating what I've created and come back loving it. Overnight gets me a fresh perspective and I always try a break before deciding I hate something I've made.
Ian.... amazing...how could you manage painting in between. I can't imagine art with my work...I wish I could do that. I really wanted to discuss with you
@@sujanithtottempudi2991 well, are you familiar with the concept of a flow state? I like to work in a flow state. I've been doing the same job for 7+ years, so I am very familiar with the products we sell and how to discuss them with customers. I can shift from the art flow state to the work flow state pretty easily. It took some practice, but I did also learn to paint with a lot of distractions. Lots of people in my house and I don't have a special space for painting so I paint where I can. Being a dad helped me learn to tune things out, but also be ready to jump into action if I have to.
Hey. Me too. I find many paintings I did in the past that I thought were utter failures and put aside, are actually very good! I have learnt to walk away from my painting and come back to it next day when I will see it in a different light. During painting, I see nothing but shapes but next day, see it as the painting it is.
When I am in doubt whether my painting is finished or not, I often look at it through a mirror. This forces a fresh view, as if I see it for the first time. Missing details then become apparent.
I'm Brazilian and my English isn't good enough to learn as much as I'd like, yet I'm making the best efforts to learn as much as possible. Thank you so much for all the videos.
I often take a photograph of my painting before it's complete and study the photo to decide how to finish or fix anything I overlooked. My version of stepping back.
Excellent painting, very masterful. Also an excellent idea to share that when you think you are close to being completed with the piece to step away from it. What I do is when I think I'm finished I turn the painting facing away from sight for a few days. Then one night just before bed I set the painting up on a standing easel , trying not look at the painting in its new position. I want it to be the first thing I will see when I go into the room the next day. When I go into the studio, it's the first thing I see. I take a look at the painting and either the painting fairies have come in the interim and I realize it doesn't need anything else. Or the painting fairies took time off and its needs one or two new elements. Fresh eyes work wonders for seeing it as others will see it. Thanks for sharing great info.
Great video! Love the idea of popping out the reference for a figure. I find sometimes I get impatient and wing it and and end up with wonky proprotions. I love the idea of slowing down for a second and getting in a quick plan for the proportion and pose. Great video, as always, Matt!
Thanks Matt. It's amazing how time can improve my painting 😉. I also take a photo of painting with my phone and see so much more in the photo that I don't see with my eye.
I think your addition of the fugure was brilliant. Great idea and thanks for that tip. I'm now going to try inserting a figure into some of my beginner paintings for practice.
Thank you teacher you're the best! We would love you to do a tutorial how to do portraits of people with watercolor..when it comes to skin it's very complicated..im crying it's that difficult for me😭..when i finish it the end result looks so synthetic and not natural. Thanks in advance!
hi, Matt...Pedro from brasil....as you said... there are several painters with watercolor tips... but each one has its particularities, they approach the same subject in a little different way... for us who are starting, you provide a powerful help... thank you.
Made this mistake at the end of my most recent painting, by rushing to finish, fortunately it was recoverable. I like the tip to leave it to later, again great advice, will definitely try this in future. thanks Mat!
I as well am at the beginning of my watercolor journey, and I find it difficult to look at a photo or live scene and assess what details to include and which not to include. There is so much information in any one scene, and my instinct, incorrectly, is to try and include everything that I see. Helpful strategy in this video. Thanks.
I have learned so much. My paintings were definitely ‘amateur’ but having watched your videos my whole approach to watercolour has changed. Am now working on small paintings that focus on light, water, shadow. Thank you for your videos. Just great.
I would like to learn how to convert my value studies into colour paintings as I still struggle with colour values in my work which can look flat. Thank you Matthew.
Very good tip Matt. Taking a break and coming back always works for me. Especially helpful is the point you make about getting to 80%. Get to that point then leave it. I gotta remember that 😜
Wow thanks a lot for this video, and all of your free advices ❤️🙏. If you don’t mind I would like to ask about videos such as how to draw beautiful pink, yellow soft clouds, And clear water in the lake , and I’m really interested in seeing how to draw Reflection of forest and trees in different water
Hi Matt thank you very much for this valuable video and I have learnt a lot that I haven't thought about earlier. I love to learn about vanishing point about a painting.
Acabo de descubrir tu canal y a pesar de que me resulta un poco complejo seguirte por el idioma, me encantan tus consejos. Muchísimas gracias por dedicarnos tu tiempo. 😍
Thank you, Matthew, I have learned a lot from you! I love this painting, but have one question and hoping you can give some thoughts on it. That first car on the left seems odd because it's blurry, while the second car is clear with hard edges. Shouldn't the first car be more defined because it's closer?
I took your advice and reworked 3 of my Yupo paintings and 1 on Arches and improved all 4 . Thank you! Have you ever tried Yupo? I really like it and it is more of a challenge, but I get a more abstract look. One of the Yupos I just rewet and wiped it all off and started same scene all over - one great advantage to Yupo. Very fun!
Great video, as usual. I would love to see a video on water control, and how to know when your painting is finished. I overwork so, and have a hard time deciding what details to omit vs. put in the painting.
thank you . ı have a hard time doing the multicollored sea reflections and the many buildings that are getting smaller and smaller at the top. I dont know where to start when painting many colors or many buildings
Great video, thanks for sharing your ideas. I am still pretty mich at the beginning of my watercolor journey and I am learning mostly from tutorials such as yours. But I am missing a tutorial on how to approach an underpainting. Is this something you do a lot? How to decide on colours for an underpainting and when is it a good idea to do one?
Thanks, this is really appreciated. I've doing the break after i get the first couple of washes in as well s as before the details. At the point I'm painting the scene, I have already spent a bunch of time and taking breaks helps me assess and plan the next step. Thanks again, Matt! ❤️❤️
This is awesome advice and I’m grateful…I just had a situation like this last weekend and it’s okay it was a learning experience and I want to go back and repaint this scene again for my own satisfaction. How far back should I be sitting from say a tree to paint it… I feel like I may be getting too close and then I don’t do the tree vertical justice…and it’s so easy to get caught up in the beauty of the details
I'm struggling with the correct mixing ratio water to pigment. I tend to be rather stingy with color and I'm also not appreciating correctly the right amount of mixtures that I need to prepare, so ... I just start to paint and then I make a lot if mistakes because I' m not prepared. Maybe this is just a skill that comes with experience....but I'd love to get better at it! I like your art to teach, your voice and your content so I'll stick around 😉
Such good advice! 👍 I'm currently about 25 hours into a, likely, 30 hour painting. A couple of days ago, right at the end of the day when I was tired, I added a tiny bit of darker detail. We're talking on an area about the 5x8mm. I didn't notice until the next morning that the detail was too heavy. I've tried rewetting and lifting the paint but, although some of it came off, it actually created an even worse smudge. But, thankfully, it'll hopefully be lost in the mass of detail, but I know it's there 😉
Uh, just a tip - you have an error in the beginning text- How to Finsh should be How to Finish, right?That said, thank you for this, I learn so much with your videos!
A person about to open a car door on the street would b good addition too, maybe with bundle,under the arm from shopping. Engaging with a static object like the car- maybe in the center of interest.
No, especially if it's a newbie ❤️ do what you gotta do to make what you want to make, eventually you can worrying about being a purist.. I personally think it's better to just be making art by any means possible. Of course, if we take too many shortcuts we may hinder our learning progress in the long run.. some artists would say it is cheating and start as you mean to go on.. I guess it's up to you to decide what works for you! X
I think we need to stop as soon as what we are painting looks like what we are painting. IOW as soon as you know it looks like a truck, stop. As soon as it looks like a tree, stop. Don't add headlight details or leaves. As soon as you know it's a building, stop.
▶︎Free Video Lesson: 7 Secrets of Fresh, Powerful Painting www.learntopaintwatercolor.com/7secrets
I do a lot of my painting while I'm at work, between jobs and customers (I manage my own small business). I find that I often have to take breaks because something comes up. I've definitely noticed that I can walk away hating what I've created and come back loving it. Overnight gets me a fresh perspective and I always try a break before deciding I hate something I've made.
Ian.... amazing...how could you manage painting in between. I can't imagine art with my work...I wish I could do that. I really wanted to discuss with you
@@sujanithtottempudi2991 well, are you familiar with the concept of a flow state? I like to work in a flow state. I've been doing the same job for 7+ years, so I am very familiar with the products we sell and how to discuss them with customers. I can shift from the art flow state to the work flow state pretty easily. It took some practice, but I did also learn to paint with a lot of distractions. Lots of people in my house and I don't have a special space for painting so I paint where I can. Being a dad helped me learn to tune things out, but also be ready to jump into action if I have to.
Hey. Me too. I find many paintings I did in the past that I thought were utter failures and put aside, are actually very good! I have learnt to walk away from my painting and come back to it next day when I will see it in a different light. During painting, I see nothing but shapes but next day, see it as the painting it is.
When I am in doubt whether my painting is finished or not, I often look at it through a mirror. This forces a fresh view, as if I see it for the first time. Missing details then become apparent.
I do the same! Really helps to get a different perspective.
Good idea, I’ll give it a try!
I'm Brazilian and my English isn't good enough to learn as much as I'd like, yet I'm making the best efforts to learn as much as possible. Thank you so much for all the videos.
I would love to see your instruction on cast shadows and water reflections.
I spent 18 months on one piece. I'm glad I did. It turned out great.
I often take a photograph of my painting before it's complete and study the photo to decide how to finish or fix anything I overlooked. My version of stepping back.
Great idea!
Excellent painting, very masterful. Also an excellent idea to share that when you think you are close to being completed with the piece to step away from it. What I do is when I think I'm finished I turn the painting facing away from sight for a few days. Then one night just before bed I set the painting up on a standing easel , trying not look at the painting in its new position. I want it to be the first thing I will see when I go into the room the next day. When I go into the studio, it's the first thing I see. I take a look at the painting and either the painting fairies have come in the interim and I realize it doesn't need anything else. Or the painting fairies took time off and its needs one or two new elements. Fresh eyes work wonders for seeing it as others will see it. Thanks for sharing great info.
In Yorkshire, UK, where I live, there are lots of dry stone walls. It would be nice to know how to paint them.
Great video! Love the idea of popping out the reference for a figure. I find sometimes I get impatient and wing it and and end up with wonky proprotions. I love the idea of slowing down for a second and getting in a quick plan for the proportion and pose. Great video, as always, Matt!
Thanks Matt. It's amazing how time can improve my painting 😉. I also take a photo of painting with my phone and see so much more in the photo that I don't see with my eye.
You are the best teacher I ever come across...
Thank you for sharing your knowledge without holding back...
Thanks. Great lesson.
My pleasure!
I think your addition of the fugure was brilliant. Great idea and thanks for that tip. I'm now going to try inserting a figure into some of my beginner paintings for practice.
Thank you teacher you're the best!
We would love you to do a tutorial how to do portraits of people with watercolor..when it comes to skin it's very complicated..im crying it's that difficult for me😭..when i finish it the end result looks so synthetic and not natural.
Thanks in advance!
Great suggestion!
hi, Matt...Pedro from brasil....as you said... there are several painters with watercolor tips... but each one has its particularities, they approach the same subject in a little different way... for us who are starting, you provide a powerful help... thank you.
Such great ideas I always want to finish but am amazed by waiting Also like your idea of practicing marks on separate paper first
Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
Helpful as always!
So informative! Thank you!
You are an amazing teacher.
Informative as always, thank you 👏
My pleasure!
Made this mistake at the end of my most recent painting, by rushing to finish, fortunately it was recoverable. I like the tip to leave it to later, again great advice, will definitely try this in future. thanks Mat!
Glad it was helpful!
My goodness Matthew, I'm taking copious notes on all your tips. Now, I just have to commit them to memory....
I as well am at the beginning of my watercolor journey, and I find it difficult to look at a photo or live scene and assess what details to include and which not to include. There is so much information in any one scene, and my instinct, incorrectly, is to try and include everything that I see. Helpful strategy in this video. Thanks.
Great points. Thanks.
Agree! Just needs one more thing! Thanks for the lesson. Thank you 😊
You're so welcome!
Thank you for the excellent instruction, broken down in sensible ways, easy-to-follow. You're a good teacher.
Your videos are incredibly useful. How about making a couple paint-along videos? We learn a great deal watching you work.
I have learned so much. My paintings were definitely ‘amateur’ but having watched your videos my whole approach to watercolour has changed. Am now working on small paintings that focus on light, water, shadow. Thank you for your videos. Just great.
Very useful tips as usual! Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
I would like to learn how to convert my value studies into colour paintings as I still struggle with colour values in my work which can look flat. Thank you Matthew.
Matthew you are so talented even gifted about this. Hello from Turkey.
Very good tip Matt. Taking a break and coming back always works for me. Especially helpful is the point you make about getting to 80%. Get to that point then leave it. I gotta remember that 😜
Amazing what those few lines in the road added to the painting.
Thank you so much for this valuable tip. Research shows that the brain uses as much energy in this creative process as playing a game of rugby!
Wow thanks a lot for this video, and all of your free advices ❤️🙏. If you don’t mind I would like to ask about videos such as how to draw beautiful pink, yellow soft clouds, And clear water in the lake , and I’m really interested in seeing how to draw Reflection of forest and trees in different water
Hi Matt thank you very much for this valuable video and I have learnt a lot that I haven't thought about earlier.
I love to learn about vanishing point about a painting.
Glad it was helpful! I'll put that on my list.
Thanks Matt, I make a note not to rush to finish my painting. It's always good to reflect on what we do, ... and we will do a better job!!!
Great suggestions. I really like your style of teaching - relaxed:)
thank you so much. you explain very clearly, it is ver useful for me . thank you again
Thank you for your wonderful videos. Could you please show how to paint submerged rocks under water?
Thank u so much for sharing using gauche paint...I use white sometime for highlights but was not sure or may be confused. Before watching ur video
I struggle most with composition. Do you have a video on that subject?
Thanks for the great lesson dear Matthew👋
Thanks MIKE! Really great teaching videos. I'm learning a lot and am inspired to keep painting.
Acabo de descubrir tu canal y a pesar de que me resulta un poco complejo seguirte por el idioma, me encantan tus consejos. Muchísimas gracias por dedicarnos tu tiempo. 😍
Thank you !
Thank you, Matthew, I have learned a lot from you! I love this painting, but have one question and hoping you can give some thoughts on it. That first car on the left seems odd because it's blurry, while the second car is clear with hard edges. Shouldn't the first car be more defined because it's closer?
This is excellent, I’ve subscribed. Thankyou.🇬🇧
I took your advice and reworked 3 of my Yupo paintings and 1 on Arches and improved all 4 . Thank you! Have you ever tried Yupo? I really like it and it is more of a challenge, but I get a more abstract look. One of the Yupos I just rewet and wiped it all off and started same scene all over - one great advantage to Yupo. Very fun!
I'd live to get some tips on how to choose the right reference picture pls! Tks for the great content
Many thanks. Can you talk about Cast Shadows and how they behave depending the sunlight. They are bigger or smaller. Thanks.
Great video, as usual. I would love to see a video on water control, and how to know when your painting is finished. I overwork so, and have a hard time deciding what details to omit vs. put in the painting.
thank you . ı have a hard time doing the multicollored sea reflections and the many buildings that are getting smaller and smaller at the top. I dont know where to start when painting many colors or many buildings
Great video, thanks for sharing your ideas. I am still pretty mich at the beginning of my watercolor journey and I am learning mostly from tutorials such as yours. But I am missing a tutorial on how to approach an underpainting. Is this something you do a lot? How to decide on colours for an underpainting and when is it a good idea to do one?
Take a look at this video and see if it helps. th-cam.com/video/1PpRxOChrb8/w-d-xo.html
Thanks, this is really appreciated. I've doing the break after i get the first couple of washes in as well s as before the details. At the point I'm painting the scene, I have already spent a bunch of time and taking breaks helps me assess and plan the next step. Thanks again, Matt! ❤️❤️
This is awesome advice and I’m grateful…I just had a situation like this last weekend and it’s okay it was a learning experience and I want to go back and repaint this scene again for my own satisfaction. How far back should I be sitting from say a tree to paint it… I feel like I may be getting too close and then I don’t do the tree vertical justice…and it’s so easy to get caught up in the beauty of the details
Thank you for this help
I'm struggling with the correct mixing ratio water to pigment. I tend to be rather stingy with color and I'm also not appreciating correctly the right amount of mixtures that I need to prepare, so ... I just start to paint and then I make a lot if mistakes because I' m not prepared. Maybe this is just a skill that comes with experience....but I'd love to get better at it! I like your art to teach, your voice and your content so I'll stick around 😉
Such good advice! 👍
I'm currently about 25 hours into a, likely, 30 hour painting. A couple of days ago, right at the end of the day when I was tired, I added a tiny bit of darker detail. We're talking on an area about the 5x8mm.
I didn't notice until the next morning that the detail was too heavy. I've tried rewetting and lifting the paint but, although some of it came off, it actually created an even worse smudge.
But, thankfully, it'll hopefully be lost in the mass of detail, but I know it's there 😉
Bruce .. surprising you do 30 hr watercolour painting...I thought watercolour painting is quick in few hours. You must be hyperreal in your art
@@sujanithtottempudi2991, pretty detailed, for sure 😉, but nowhere near as hyper realistic as, say, Steven Kozar 💗
thanks a lot
Wow!! Thanks so much!!
How do youcwork out the height of the figure you put in
Uh, just a tip - you have an error in the beginning text- How to Finsh should be How to Finish, right?That said, thank you for this, I learn so much with your videos!
good catch!
Greater
Some really useful tips.Always reminding my students not to just 'make figures up'-they never look real.
So true!
A person about to open a car door on the street would b good addition too, maybe with bundle,under the arm from shopping. Engaging with a static object like the car- maybe in the center of interest.
Sooooo is it cheating to use colored pencil or water color pencils for small details?
Asking for a newbie 😊
No, especially if it's a newbie ❤️ do what you gotta do to make what you want to make, eventually you can worrying about being a purist.. I personally think it's better to just be making art by any means possible.
Of course, if we take too many shortcuts we may hinder our learning progress in the long run.. some artists would say it is cheating and start as you mean to go on.. I guess it's up to you to decide what works for you! X
I mess up usually my first few washes....for first few washes say it all...make it or break it
So helpful, thank you.
Lizabeth
I think we need to stop as soon as what we are painting looks like what we are painting. IOW as soon as you know it looks like a truck, stop. As soon as it looks like a tree, stop. Don't add headlight details or leaves. As soon as you know it's a building, stop.
Whether it is overworked, depends on how detailed you want it to be in the first place. I like my paintings to be crisply detailed.
Your channel is awesome! I’m so glad I stumbled across it!!
Thank you!