Inspiring and Informative........I think my nemesis how to begin and when to stop.....BTW watching your process and how you approach each painting is so helpful ...in my minds eye I can see every leaf every sliver of bark and each weed in the foreground without it being painted in.....THAT to me is a great attribute to you , the artist.......Thank you for being here and willing to share !
"Nemesis" is an interesting choice of words! We were thinking about what ours would be, as artists (many of us on the Blick team are artists). Since Nemesis was the Greek goddess of retribution for hubris or arrogance, we think after many years of making art, our nemesis would be sometimes assuming that we can skip warmups and drawing practice. Time is a scarce commodity, so it's easy to shortcut right to the brush and easel, but a few minutes with a pencil and sketchbook is really a good investment to stay sharp and get better results in any medium!
My nemesis would definitely be perfectionism, that holds me back from painting and drawing. Difficult to let go and not worry about the final outcome. And I know, that one learns most from mistakes and that the only way to get better is by doing. A constant internal battle. 😊
Every time I watch you paint one of these detailed watercolor paintings, I’m amazed at how you do it. My biggest fear is that, if I tried something like that, it would end up just looking like a messy hodgepodge of color, instead of a beautiful scene. So I chicken out and paint broad landscapes instead.
I think many of us would love to have your nemesis ~ to be skilled in so many techniques as to have trouble deciding which to use! My nemesis is fear of failure. I know it doesn't make sense because I'm just painting for myself, but there it is.
Indecision is mine as well. Thanks for bringing it up. And you are right, when I teach, it forces me to make quick decisions and stick with them as I appear in front of my students. I always do things better for others than I do for myself. And this narrative helps better than telling myself those who can't do something well enough teach. I teach because I'm a giver.
Perfectionism, interruptions, indecision...there are so many! I am lately declaring pieces failures--but that gives me the opening/freedom to continue and see if I can make at least one spot a little better. Take any success you can get. Keep Painting! For me, I often find paintings go through a "teenage period" where they don't do to suit me--but if you hang with them long enough they often turn out okay in the end. (They might not be my favorite but hey, you can't have everything.)
I get so excited when I watch someone paint and I want to do one similar! Then I watch another video and want to paint that one. But wait, I haven’t done the first one yet. And I want these new paints and that pad of watercolor, but I need to use the ones I already have. Then I paint doodles, go cook, come back and paint something and then watch a video of something I want to paint later. I am a very old senior and I think my brain gets so exited about my art that I can’t stay focused. So i clean my pallets and scrub my watercolor container and admire the clear clean water!
lol thats me too....i start watching a youtuber and what they are using and whammo I hit pause while I go internet shopping. Result is a studio full of paints and products that if I lived to be a hundred and fifty I could NEVER even get close to using any of it up!!! Perhaps that is our nemesis :)
That is so much like me too. Getting on in years. I want to paint like ALL the artists I watch and admire so much. Then after the chores and another one in the recycling paper, 😕I clean up the pallet and start again.
You may have just given me newfound courage to just get out there and do it, even in my own little yard, so I can allow a nemesis into my painting process! You make everything look effortless. You are my favorite artist/instructor!
Having an ADD-wired brain, I struggle with distraction. When those shadows started dancing across the paper while you were painting, I was totally distracted. I would not have been able to paint with shadows flickering on the page. Indecision can be real, too. But that just means a person knows enough about what they are *doing* to be able to choose from several options. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. You create beautiful art!! ❤
I have at least 2... As mentioned by others, I don’t 'accept' that good drawings, paintings take time and I keep feeling I'm not working fast enough. The second one...the fear of ruining good paper and sketchbooks and, as a result, being indecisive about what surface to use. I often end up doing decent drawings/paintings on the wrong paper just because I didn’t let myself use the good stuff by fear of wasting it. By the way, I like how the second painting look more dynamic than the first one: you get the sense that the leaves are moving in the breeze. But, as always, beautiful and inspiring work! Thanks!!
Too many... so I took an 8 month watercolor break... health issues also played a part. Even new supplies, etc... notta. Except for swatching my paints and my Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils. Fun to see the color explode on my paper! Swatching watercolor too... I bought Da Vinci's new dot sampler of over 100 of all their watercolors. Thank you MOW ... Mr. Mitchell!!! You inspire this Gramma from California ❤
Thanks Steve, for openness, honesty and freshness. I liked all the painting on those two pages, but understand the message you were putting to us. For me? Dealing with the surprisingly difficult change from pastoral to urban landscape, because of an equally surprising lack of confidence in my ability to interpret these centuries-old buildings of my new location (I did some, but not a lot of urban painting before the move). I'm working on it, though. 🤔 What _has_ been a happy surprise is drawing people! Always a side-line of my main work, I'm doing it more here, as there is a readily accessible number of unaware life models because of the outdoor, café culture. As back in the UK (but still a happy surprise, given my loss of confidence already mentioned) I'm not being in the least bit 'precious' about the results, people looking over my shoulder, people stopping to look and recognising themselves in my doodles... 😄
This was a fabulous video, Steve. So first off, thank you for doing this and showing us how you deal with your nemesis. I would say mine in probably rushing the process. I get impatient and want to learn a technique quickly so I get better at it fast! In the process of all that, I end up slopping too much water onto the paper, over mix my paints and overwork my piece. What would help me is to just slow down and pay attention to what I am doing and, in turn, I will learn the technique by understanding the process better. I am still a padawan who needs to learn patience😊! Thank you for all that you do for us learners!
Beautiful gorgeous trees! I think my nemesis is patience. The patience needed to let the watercolor layers to dry. I ruined so many pieces for not waiting long enough!
Steve, all four of those subjects on the two pages are probing, from a beginner painter point of view, overwhelming, which is how I see your skill. My Nemesis is finding courage to understand your instant understanding of what colour to use and how it relates to other colours, their tones and hues. Keep teaching me, please.
Hi Steve. My nemesis is lack of patience...with myself, my level of knowledge. I forget to give myself a break--that art isn't easy/learning takes time. At the top of one mountain there's the realization that an even larger mountain is in front of you that you have to climb. Thanks for sharing the challenges you have as it helps us know that we're not alone on this wild art journey. Grateful for your videos.
Hullo Steve, Thanks for sharing this video with us, even re-done it is quite a piece of Art in itself! I do believe I would have re-started and come up with a completely different painting! I guess we all learn how we learn, right? Now while you used he same scene, it does look different, but least you stuck with the same area and kept at it! My nemesis? I suppose I simple do not know when to quit! I overwork and I just need to STOP! I may get there one day . . . . Thanks for all you do for everyone of your subscribers! I have narrowed down my selection of M.Graham paint colors! Now to get them dry in a palette!
Preparing compositional pieces is definitely a lot of work, drawings, where to put certain features to bring it all together. That is my most difficult area but it is also enjoyable to have another side piece to work on that is more simplistic and breaks up the time. Drawing and painting what one likes and at a pace that isn’t obligatory helps me with getting a bit of a break when I’m in the painting frame of mind. Your work is beautiful but I can see that the second one looked very fresh. Thank you for sharing your talent Steve!😊
I agree,,it is a blessing to be able to switch it up and change the process as you need. I think, for me, I'm getting old and less patient, I want to speed my work along, and get it done! You always help me a lot,,thanks so much!
8:55 yes yes A THOUSAND YESES!! i have adhd and sticking to a process from start to finish is REALLY fucking hard. when i can do it/do it, the pay off is amazing
My nemesis is also indecision, but much more extreme. I can't decide on any aspect of the process, subject, medium, even what brushes to use. I did come up with a different solution however. As a Dungeons and Dragons player I realized I could solve my problem with charts and dice rolls. Now that is the only way I work. Not only does it make me come up with ideas and stick with them, but it forces me to try things I wouldn't have thought of on my own.
Doing the same scene over helps me a lot! Like the 1st is a practice run. I recently thought up a whole new angle and color selection and the 2nd one got 2nd place in county fair art show :)
Hi there! I love your videos! I share this struggle with you. I love using a lot of different mediums and I find this gets in my way sometimes (okay, more than sometimes) and also boredom. I think you said everything pretty perfectly about process and media. I’d say sometimes I think I need to find a good home for everything not watercolor or colored pencil related, somewhere far away, haha; but there’s always the wonder when I see something new that appeals to me to try. So, if I can, I do. Anyway, boredom… About 3/4 of the way through any piece, it’s a struggle to stop myself from rushing through to the end. I find when I’m feeling bored and impatient, the best thing to do is take a good break, do something physically taxing, and then come back to it. My mind has had time to de-kink and my body has had time to lose its excess energy.
Indecision can be paralyzing for me; one of my other nemeses is bouncing around from medium to medium. Watercolor is one of the most challenging media for me as well, so of course I'm drawn it!
My nemesis is deciding what to paint. I get totally stuck. If I do anything, I draw something in front of me and that’s it for the day. Maybe I feel like I have to do a “real” painting every time.
My nemesis is probably buying too many materials. And I love to paint with other mediums too, and I have so many materials, that sometimes I'm scared that I won't be able to use all of them.
Thank you for this video and everyone's comments! I have been struggling mentally and physically, and needed this reminder that I need to have more patience with myself and do more scetches and just forget about self-imposed deadlines. I struggled for 2 weeks trying to paint one little 5x7 desert scene that was intended to be a father's day card for my Dad. In hindsight I wasted time I could have been painting something I enjoyed more. It really in the end did not matter that my father got a video call only and no card this year.
You should finish it and give it to him without a holiday. I would be so happy if my daughter painted me a random picture! Even better than a birthday present - a surprise! Plus, if you're having a tough time mentally, it will feel good to resolve something that seems to be bothering you.
Steve theses are both great! I really think I like the second version more because it looks to me like it is more detailed with the foliage & close up view of the trunks. I was surprised by your nemesis because like you’ve stated here, your channel helps you focus on overcoming your nemesis. I am just finding out that my nemesis is not be confident that I am a good enough artist. I have started entering some art competitions, contests, & just showing my artwork around locally. I also like to do a lot of experimentation with my art supplies. Thanks for sharing this video of your nemesis & how you strive to keep overcoming it. I really appreciate your channel & while learning so much about watercolors from your perspective & teaching.
It all looks great Steve but I have to say, I really like your second version, with the Graphtint - it looks colorful and brighter. Thanks for sharing. I have to say indecision is a nemesis of mine as well. It's good to have a strategy ahead of time to knock out indecision.
You have described MY nemesis. I avoid plein air because I cannot decide about the composition and/or process and I, too, change in “midstream”….🤷♀️In “real” life I am decisive… soooo🤦♀️Maybe it’s confidence….
Thank you, Steve, for this fabulous video! Your advice to slow down, pay attention, and understand the process resonates with me. It's a reminder to embrace patience and truly learn the technique. Keep up the great work!
I never thought of using Graphitint like that! Thank you! And, hands down, my nemesis is a sort of inability to improvise with supplies. My last outing, I spent so much time rooting around in my bag for a pencil color I knew I had that I ran out of limited energy and quit for the day. I have to find a way to make other items or unexpected substitutes a part of my routine. I forget also that I paint things over and over. I always think, "I only have one chance!" and I have no idea why. Thanks for this steady stream of solid inspiration and insight, Steve!
My nemesises are many. (I had to Google the plural spelling of nemesis.) First is making the time to paint, and then not trusting myself even though I've been painting for awhile. Still not having a good grasp of water control. Not having patience to work details. Oh, there are many more. However, I'm making this comment to specifically say how good it is to be home again and able to watch your videos. They're very soothing to watch and I feel like I learn so much. Thank you Steve.
I agree with *all* you say, though sorry to report that the version on the first site that popped up in your search of the plural of nemesis is incorrect and is simply "nemeses", thank goodness. Simpler and more elegant. It's hard being a language nerd and flinch when "foliage" with an "i", is pronounced "foe-ledge".
I've ruined more paintings by thinking, "Ooo! Maybe I'll try this idea!" haha! It's a problem. Learning to test it on another scrap piece of paper first. Love all your work, tho!
Excellent lesson… my nemesis is planning time… i probably spend a little too much time b 4 im ready to jump in & paint/sketch. I see so much each week that inspires me i have to decide on a subject… i am a mixed media artist & like you love to try anything… appreciate your instructions… your tree groupings are amazing! Very inspirational… thx so much.
Mine is trying to add too much detail at once and overworking it. Also I always feel it has to look neat (even in my Sketchbook) so I'm working on that 😅
Nice video as always and thanks for talking about the struggles of painting outside. I often hate my results, though I know it is an important step in the growing process.
My nemesis is getting over the idea that I am "SUPPOSED" to do certain things instead of following my instincts and preferences. So many tell you you are wrong unless you do their style/process etc ... The more I gain experience, they more I allow myself to "wing it" :)
My nemasis at the moment is not really planning and just shooting from the hip. Which can work amazingly well but also become an unmitigated disaster really quickly.
It’s not easy to know where to start. Often I find I feel fairly certain I could do a better job with one medium (maybe, colored pencil) but at the same time I feel the composition is crying out for watercolor (which I’m not as good at, yet, as I am at colored pencil). The lesson from your video is to decide how you envision the composition and then give it your all, I guess.
My nemesis is like yours, exactly. I decide on a process then get drawn into experimenting along the way. If you’re like that, then surely there’s no way to stop it completely? It’s part of the creative struggle of head vs heart, isn’t it? But it is difficult when I’m trying to work out how to get the result I want, so I take photos along each stage and I find this helpful to look back to evaluate my decisions. I can then see where I went wrong. Thank you for raising this subject. That’s what I like about your channel. It makes me think about what I do and why. I also love your biblical quotes at the end. Thank you!
Oh dear, indecision for me too. Coupled with perfectionism. For me, personally, the worst is constantly thinking that going digital would solve all my problems. But after a week or two I start to weep after my traditional supplies and the overall feel of doing traditional art. If nerve-entrapment, shoulder-neck pain and migraine inducing eye-strain doesn't stop me first. And even if digital art makes me ill, LITERALLY, I still oogle at it whenever I get frustrated with traditional art. It has wasted so much of my time over the years.
Digital is infinitely forgiving it's true, but far less satisfying. The software learning curve can also be frustrating unless you enjoy working with it. I have chronic shoulder and neck pain from years of doing digital art as a professional. Although pain can come from using traditional media, I found it far worse with digital. As for wasting time, the key for me is enjoying the process and not placing so much expectation on a result. Art can be a fulfilling activity like hiking or riding a bike. When I focus on discovery through the process, I never feel like I've wasted time, final failure or not. Another key is very specific problem solving of your process. It is rare to be able to successfully use a medium without time and practice. Solve specific problems with your medium and better results will eventually come and they are icing on the cake.
I felt like you were reading my mind when I watched this video! It is exactly my nemesis as well, although I didn’t realize it until you pointed it out as yours! Thank you so much! I will be watching this video over and over again!
Both of your tree art sessions look great to me. I love art, I love to paint and draw yet I procrastinate doing it! Why? My nemesis... Fear of Failure. A daily battle. For years.
Thank you for this great video. I really appreciate what you had to say. I struggle with being impatient with myself, and wanting to complete a process quickly while at the same time being too much of a perfectionist.
Steve, this was an enormously educational video. God moves in mysterious ways and the loss of your video gave you a new subject to discuss AND a reason to step past your own resistance and just looked what happened!!! For me, watching this reinforced what I discovered about pen versus pencil....with a pencil I spend too much time trying to get the image perfect but with a pen I don't have that option and have to go with the flow (so to speak) and as a result I actually find that while my pen sketches are less perfect, they have more 'personality' and 'life'. That is the difference, in my humble opinion, between your first plein air and the second. The second used a lot less detail overall but ended up being the more lifelike and pleasing to see. Not that I would turn my nose up at the first one either lol but you know what i mean i hope. You rock my socks as always :) xxx
Ah, you've just put into words and shone a light on something that is an issue for me. As a result, looking through my work reveals a variety of 'styles'. Plus I go to do a drawing/painting (especially plein air) with an intention of how I want to work. Sit down, look at the scene and almost panic, and just launch into it, flying by the seat of my pants 😂. But recognising this, and videos like this, are the start of actually focussing on process, even more than end result. Hmm... thank you for this...🙏😊
Enjoyed the vid, thank you! I find that doing a subject more than once I get to take a chance or direction I wish I had done the last time. Nemesis? Starting.
I really enjoy your channel Steve, do you think you could do another portrait or two soon? While your landscapes are incredible I really enjoy your approach to portraits.
Definitely have the same nemesis as you do. I love to play around with different techniques, different media, and really love to experiment as well. And to make it worse, I do many different crafts and hobbies as well. No word of a lie, I drive myself nuts sometimes 🤣🤣
My nemesis is cash. I have spent a lot of money (in debt, now, with products I don't like) finding good paper, paint and brushes only to be thwarted in my efforts to learn technique and enjoy the process of watercolor. Just watercolor.
I guess my nemesis is ink. I love added ink to everything I paint. Unfortunately, I enjoy it so much that I wind up with a cartoonish looking piece. Maybe that's just my style? But I have a hard time creating a landscape because there's no where to add ink. To me, my landscapes just look like blobs of paint. I also stop too soon when creating a landscape. I'm a mess, I guess! LOL! But I have fun.
Loose painting techniques. My brain is just too obsessed with detail so I end up overworking loose styles every time I try to do it. Also painting from imagination. I guess to two go hand in hand?
I suppose mine would have to be fear of failure. I don’t take a failed painting easily; I feel down, I haven’t made progress ( although I paint way better than I did 10 yrs ago), I can’t think of the approach method, and above all, I cannot simplify a complex scene, which makes my fear of failure kick in.
Don't feel bad. It's pretty common. Very specific problem solving is usually the solution. Try/fail cycles don't teach you anything without it. Break down the problems to specifics.
Both are beautiful! I’m wondering if you used the exact same supplies on each painting? My nemesis is fear of getting all of my supplies set up (I work on my bed) and then not feeling well enough to paint for long. Chronic illnesses really interfere with my painting. It also limits my experimentation with different supplies and watercolor. I buy my favorite professional supplies and stick with them for the best results. Thank you for another great video. You help my rough days to be better when you post a video that I can watch.
FEAR. I procrastinate in getting started because of fear. Why do I do that? I don't understand what is so hard about just getting started. i know it's not going to be a masterpiece and I accept that, but I just don't paint many times out of fear.
Why is Alex a nemesis? Curious because he’s a contemporary of mine. I know about his process a bit, but wanted to hear your point of view. Cheers-lovely work.
@@mindofwatercolorI had to listen again; clever framing. I brought it up because I understood his process as a gray undertone with colors layered over it. I always assumed it was a time saving device, since deadlines are strict in our business (being late to the printer means a fine to the publisher) and I was hoping to hear your insight to that process. I’m sure now that he has essentially retired from continuity that his latest process is more dedicated to a traditional approach. And yes he uses gouache, he likes how it moves under the brush for him. Anyway, great channel. I’m going to be working on some gouache pieces for my upcoming commissions list that I’m excited about- I just need to finish my work with my publisher-and your work is inspiring. Kudos!
I think a nemesis would be thinking I don't have enough time to paint so I don't get started. What's your cutoff point where you know you don't have time for a paint session? 15 min? 30 min? An hour? An afternoon?
a nemesis?...yeah, I'm a retired makeup artist & always tend to make everything and everyone that I draw or paint look prettier than possible in real life...weird, huh?
Inspiring and Informative........I think my nemesis how to begin and when to stop.....BTW watching your process and how you approach each painting is so helpful ...in my minds eye I can see every leaf every sliver of bark and each weed in the foreground without it being painted in.....THAT to me is a great attribute to you , the artist.......Thank you for being here and willing to share !
"Nemesis" is an interesting choice of words! We were thinking about what ours would be, as artists (many of us on the Blick team are artists). Since Nemesis was the Greek goddess of retribution for hubris or arrogance, we think after many years of making art, our nemesis would be sometimes assuming that we can skip warmups and drawing practice. Time is a scarce commodity, so it's easy to shortcut right to the brush and easel, but a few minutes with a pencil and sketchbook is really a good investment to stay sharp and get better results in any medium!
LOL! Good one. Love the etymology input and well said concerning warmups and practice!
Yes that is why I avoided that word also lol…..
My nemesis would definitely be perfectionism, that holds me back from painting and drawing. Difficult to let go and not worry about the final outcome. And I know, that one learns most from mistakes and that the only way to get better is by doing. A constant internal battle. 😊
I have that exact issue. I call myself a recovering perfectionist but there is always a struggle.
Yep. Being looser is my goal and in that way mistakes don't really exist
Every time I watch you paint one of these detailed watercolor paintings, I’m amazed at how you do it. My biggest fear is that, if I tried something like that, it would end up just looking like a messy hodgepodge of color, instead of a beautiful scene. So I chicken out and paint broad landscapes instead.
I think many of us would love to have your nemesis ~ to be skilled in so many techniques as to have trouble deciding which to use! My nemesis is fear of failure. I know it doesn't make sense because I'm just painting for myself, but there it is.
Indecision is mine as well. Thanks for bringing it up. And you are right, when I teach, it forces me to make quick decisions and stick with them as I appear in front of my students. I always do things better for others than I do for myself. And this narrative helps better than telling myself those who can't do something well enough teach. I teach because I'm a giver.
Perfectionism, interruptions, indecision...there are so many! I am lately declaring pieces failures--but that gives me the opening/freedom to continue and see if I can make at least one spot a little better. Take any success you can get. Keep Painting! For me, I often find paintings go through a "teenage period" where they don't do to suit me--but if you hang with them long enough they often turn out okay in the end. (They might not be my favorite but hey, you can't have everything.)
I get so excited when I watch someone paint and I want to do one similar! Then I watch another video and want to paint that one. But wait, I haven’t done the first one yet. And I want these new paints and that pad of watercolor, but I need to use the ones I already have. Then I paint doodles, go cook, come back and paint something and then watch a video of something I want to paint later. I am a very old senior and I think my brain gets so exited about my art that I can’t stay focused. So i clean my pallets and scrub my watercolor container and admire the clear clean water!
So funny😂... isn't it fun being a senior! Me too... from a California Gramma ❤️
lol thats me too....i start watching a youtuber and what they are using and whammo I hit pause while I go internet shopping. Result is a studio full of paints and products that if I lived to be a hundred and fifty I could NEVER even get close to using any of it up!!! Perhaps that is our nemesis :)
That is so much like me too. Getting on in years. I want to paint like ALL the artists I watch and admire so much. Then after the chores and another one in the recycling paper, 😕I clean up the pallet and start again.
You may have just given me newfound courage to just get out there and do it, even in my own little yard, so I can allow a nemesis into my painting process! You make everything look effortless. You are my favorite artist/instructor!
My water color nemesis? Devil may care, little 4” X 6” diary style water color journaling instead of buckling down & getting serious.
Having an ADD-wired brain, I struggle with distraction. When those shadows started dancing across the paper while you were painting, I was totally distracted. I would not have been able to paint with shadows flickering on the page. Indecision can be real, too. But that just means a person knows enough about what they are *doing* to be able to choose from several options. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. You create beautiful art!! ❤
I have at least 2... As mentioned by others, I don’t 'accept' that good drawings, paintings take time and I keep feeling I'm not working fast enough. The second one...the fear of ruining good paper and sketchbooks and, as a result, being indecisive about what surface to use. I often end up doing decent drawings/paintings on the wrong paper just because I didn’t let myself use the good stuff by fear of wasting it.
By the way, I like how the second painting look more dynamic than the first one: you get the sense that the leaves are moving in the breeze. But, as always, beautiful and inspiring work! Thanks!!
Too many... so I took an 8 month watercolor break... health issues also played a part. Even new supplies, etc... notta. Except for swatching my paints and my Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils. Fun to see the color explode on my paper! Swatching watercolor too... I bought Da Vinci's new dot sampler of over 100 of all their watercolors.
Thank you MOW ... Mr. Mitchell!!! You inspire this Gramma from California ❤
Thanks Steve, for openness, honesty and freshness. I liked all the painting on those two pages, but understand the message you were putting to us.
For me? Dealing with the surprisingly difficult change from pastoral to urban landscape, because of an equally surprising lack of confidence in my ability to interpret these centuries-old buildings of my new location (I did some, but not a lot of urban painting before the move). I'm working on it, though. 🤔
What _has_ been a happy surprise is drawing people! Always a side-line of my main work, I'm doing it more here, as there is a readily accessible number of unaware life models because of the outdoor, café culture. As back in the UK (but still a happy surprise, given my loss of confidence already mentioned) I'm not being in the least bit 'precious' about the results, people looking over my shoulder, people stopping to look and recognising themselves in my doodles... 😄
This was a fabulous video, Steve. So first off, thank you for doing this and showing us how you deal with your nemesis. I would say mine in probably rushing the process. I get impatient and want to learn a technique quickly so I get better at it fast! In the process of all that, I end up slopping too much water onto the paper, over mix my paints and overwork my piece. What would help me is to just slow down and pay attention to what I am doing and, in turn, I will learn the technique by understanding the process better. I am still a padawan who needs to learn patience😊! Thank you for all that you do for us learners!
Beautiful gorgeous trees! I think my nemesis is patience. The patience needed to let the watercolor layers to dry. I ruined so many pieces for not waiting long enough!
Steve, all four of those subjects on the two pages are probing, from a beginner painter point of view, overwhelming, which is how I see your skill. My Nemesis is finding courage to understand your instant understanding of what colour to use and how it relates to other colours, their tones and hues. Keep teaching me, please.
Hi Steve. My nemesis is lack of patience...with myself, my level of knowledge. I forget to give myself a break--that art isn't easy/learning takes time. At the top of one mountain there's the realization that an even larger mountain is in front of you that you have to climb. Thanks for sharing the challenges you have as it helps us know that we're not alone on this wild art journey. Grateful for your videos.
Indecision is mine. Not the process but what I want to paint. I painted sunflowers in four different mediums recently.
Uuugh my nemesis is definitely the blank white page and too many colours and indecision 😮
Hullo Steve, Thanks for sharing this video with us, even re-done it is quite a piece of Art in itself! I do believe I would have re-started and come up with a completely different painting! I guess we all learn how we learn, right? Now while you used he same scene, it does look different, but least you stuck with the same area and kept at it!
My nemesis? I suppose I simple do not know when to quit! I overwork and I just need to STOP! I may get there one day . . . . Thanks for all you do for everyone of your subscribers! I have narrowed down my selection of M.Graham paint colors! Now to get them dry in a palette!
Preparing compositional pieces is definitely a lot of work, drawings, where to put certain features to bring it all together. That is my most difficult area but it is also enjoyable to have another side piece to work on that is more simplistic and breaks up the time. Drawing and painting what one likes and at a pace that isn’t obligatory helps me with getting a bit of a break when I’m in the painting frame of mind. Your work is beautiful but I can see that the second one looked very fresh. Thank you for sharing your talent Steve!😊
I agree,,it is a blessing to be able to switch it up and change the process as you need. I think, for me, I'm getting old and less patient, I want to speed my work along, and get it done!
You always help me a lot,,thanks so much!
I love watching you work. I see the happy little putzing feeling I get when it's me ❤
8:55 yes yes A THOUSAND YESES!! i have adhd and sticking to a process from start to finish is REALLY fucking hard. when i can do it/do it, the pay off is amazing
As a beginner, this gave me perspective {as when I teach, I begin with WHAT IS THIS ABOUT} - like Calcus 1 & 2; determine area, volume...
My nemesis is also indecision, but much more extreme. I can't decide on any aspect of the process, subject, medium, even what brushes to use. I did come up with a different solution however. As a Dungeons and Dragons player I realized I could solve my problem with charts and dice rolls. Now that is the only way I work. Not only does it make me come up with ideas and stick with them, but it forces me to try things I wouldn't have thought of on my own.
Doing the same scene over helps me a lot! Like the 1st is a practice run. I recently thought up a whole new angle and color selection and the 2nd one got 2nd place in county fair art show :)
Thank you for your patient professional approach 🥰
Hi there! I love your videos! I share this struggle with you. I love using a lot of different mediums and I find this gets in my way sometimes (okay, more than sometimes) and also boredom. I think you said everything pretty perfectly about process and media. I’d say sometimes I think I need to find a good home for everything not watercolor or colored pencil related, somewhere far away, haha; but there’s always the wonder when I see something new that appeals to me to try. So, if I can, I do.
Anyway, boredom… About 3/4 of the way through any piece, it’s a struggle to stop myself from rushing through to the end. I find when I’m feeling bored and impatient, the best thing to do is take a good break, do something physically taxing, and then come back to it. My mind has had time to de-kink and my body has had time to lose its excess energy.
Stunning results with this subject matter
Alex Ross is my hero. He was what got me seeing reflected light as he always uses wild reflected colors, so you can't get away from noticing it.
I don't know I missed this video before. Great advice.
I have the same problem! I experiment with sooo many mediums and styles and I am easily bored to! 😅😂
Indecision can be paralyzing for me; one of my other nemeses is bouncing around from medium to medium. Watercolor is one of the most challenging media for me as well, so of course I'm drawn it!
My nemesis is deciding what to paint. I get totally stuck. If I do anything, I draw something in front of me and that’s it for the day. Maybe I feel like I have to do a “real” painting every time.
My nemesis is probably buying too many materials. And I love to paint with other mediums too, and I have so many materials, that sometimes I'm scared that I won't be able to use all of them.
Thank you for this video and everyone's comments! I have been struggling mentally and physically, and needed this reminder that I need to have more patience with myself and do more scetches and just forget about self-imposed deadlines. I struggled for 2 weeks trying to paint one little 5x7 desert scene that was intended to be a father's day card for my Dad. In hindsight I wasted time I could have been painting something I enjoyed more. It really in the end did not matter that my father got a video call only and no card this year.
You should finish it and give it to him without a holiday. I would be so happy if my daughter painted me a random picture! Even better than a birthday present - a surprise! Plus, if you're having a tough time mentally, it will feel good to resolve something that seems to be bothering you.
Definitely send him the painting, even if it's not finished. Tempus fugit.
I truly liked #1 better. It looked softer to me. To each, his own. But thank you for all the info. Love your videos!
This was very useful and informative. My nemesis is fear of failure.
Steve theses are both great! I really think I like the second version more because it looks to me like it is more detailed with the foliage & close up view of the trunks. I was surprised by your nemesis because like you’ve stated here, your channel helps you focus on overcoming your nemesis. I am just finding out that my nemesis is not be confident that I am a good enough artist. I have started entering some art competitions, contests, & just showing my artwork around locally. I also like to do a lot of experimentation with my art supplies. Thanks for sharing this video of your nemesis & how you strive to keep overcoming it. I really appreciate your channel & while learning so much about watercolors from your perspective & teaching.
It all looks great Steve but I have to say, I really like your second version, with the Graphtint - it looks colorful and brighter. Thanks for sharing. I have to say indecision is a nemesis of mine as well. It's good to have a strategy ahead of time to knock out indecision.
Wonderful depth in these, Steve! I have near-crippling ADHD. I empathize with your having this particular nemesis. 😉
I do also…motivation is so difficult find when you’re “overwhelmed”.
You have described MY nemesis. I avoid plein air because I cannot decide about the composition and/or process and I, too, change in “midstream”….🤷♀️In “real” life I am decisive… soooo🤦♀️Maybe it’s confidence….
Thank you, Steve, for this fabulous video! Your advice to slow down, pay attention, and understand the process resonates with me. It's a reminder to embrace patience and truly learn the technique.
Keep up the great work!
I never thought of using Graphitint like that! Thank you! And, hands down, my nemesis is a sort of inability to improvise with supplies. My last outing, I spent so much time rooting around in my bag for a pencil color I knew I had that I ran out of limited energy and quit for the day. I have to find a way to make other items or unexpected substitutes a part of my routine. I forget also that I paint things over and over. I always think, "I only have one chance!" and I have no idea why. Thanks for this steady stream of solid inspiration and insight, Steve!
My nemesises are many. (I had to Google the plural spelling of nemesis.) First is making the time to paint, and then not trusting myself even though I've been painting for awhile. Still not having a good grasp of water control. Not having patience to work details. Oh, there are many more. However, I'm making this comment to specifically say how good it is to be home again and able to watch your videos. They're very soothing to watch and I feel like I learn so much. Thank you Steve.
I agree with *all* you say, though sorry to report that the version on the first site that popped up in your search of the plural of nemesis is incorrect and is simply "nemeses", thank goodness. Simpler and more elegant. It's hard being a language nerd and flinch when "foliage" with an "i", is pronounced "foe-ledge".
@@Bearwithme560 Lol i HATE hearing Foliage mispronounced too!!!! It almost hurts!!!
@@Bearwithme560, my gut instinct was to write nemeses, but I decided to Google it. Thanks for confirming.
Thanks for the video. Looked up Grafitint to see if I want to add it to my supplies.
I've ruined more paintings by thinking, "Ooo! Maybe I'll try this idea!" haha! It's a problem. Learning to test it on another scrap piece of paper first. Love all your work, tho!
Excellent lesson… my nemesis is planning time… i probably spend a little too much time b 4 im ready to jump in & paint/sketch. I see so much each week that inspires me i have to decide on a subject… i am a mixed media artist & like you love to try anything… appreciate your instructions… your tree groupings are amazing! Very inspirational… thx so much.
My nemesis is deciding what to paint! Trying to find or create interest in the same topics......
Mine is trying to add too much detail at once and overworking it. Also I always feel it has to look neat (even in my Sketchbook) so I'm working on that 😅
Nice video as always and thanks for talking about the struggles of painting outside. I often hate my results, though I know it is an important step in the growing process.
My nemesis is getting over the idea that I am "SUPPOSED" to do certain things instead of following my instincts and preferences. So many tell you you are wrong unless you do their style/process etc ... The more I gain experience, they more I allow myself to "wing it" :)
Amazing video and very informative. Thank you for sharing. ox👩🎨
I'm on my third try at the same painting so yeah, I get it!
My nemasis at the moment is not really planning and just shooting from the hip. Which can work amazingly well but also become an unmitigated disaster really quickly.
It’s not easy to know where to start. Often I find I feel fairly certain I could do a better job with one medium (maybe, colored pencil) but at the same time I feel the composition is crying out for watercolor (which I’m not as good at, yet, as I am at colored pencil). The lesson from your video is to decide how you envision the composition and then give it your all, I guess.
My nemesis is like yours, exactly. I decide on a process then get drawn into experimenting along the way. If you’re like that, then surely there’s no way to stop it completely? It’s part of the creative struggle of head vs heart, isn’t it? But it is difficult when I’m trying to work out how to get the result I want, so I take photos along each stage and I find this helpful to look back to evaluate my decisions. I can then see where I went wrong. Thank you for raising this subject. That’s what I like about your channel. It makes me think about what I do and why. I also love your biblical quotes at the end. Thank you!
Oh dear, indecision for me too. Coupled with perfectionism. For me, personally, the worst is constantly thinking that going digital would solve all my problems. But after a week or two I start to weep after my traditional supplies and the overall feel of doing traditional art. If nerve-entrapment, shoulder-neck pain and migraine inducing eye-strain doesn't stop me first.
And even if digital art makes me ill, LITERALLY, I still oogle at it whenever I get frustrated with traditional art. It has wasted so much of my time over the years.
Digital is infinitely forgiving it's true, but far less satisfying. The software learning curve can also be frustrating unless you enjoy working with it. I have chronic shoulder and neck pain from years of doing digital art as a professional. Although pain can come from using traditional media, I found it far worse with digital. As for wasting time, the key for me is enjoying the process and not placing so much expectation on a result. Art can be a fulfilling activity like hiking or riding a bike. When I focus on discovery through the process, I never feel like I've wasted time, final failure or not. Another key is very specific problem solving of your process. It is rare to be able to successfully use a medium without time and practice. Solve specific problems with your medium and better results will eventually come and they are icing on the cake.
@@mindofwatercolor Thank you for such a long answer
I felt like you were reading my mind when I watched this video! It is exactly my nemesis as well, although I didn’t realize it until you pointed it out as yours! Thank you so much! I will be watching this video over and over again!
Both of your tree art sessions look great to me.
I love art, I love to paint and draw yet I procrastinate doing it! Why? My nemesis... Fear of Failure. A daily battle. For years.
Failure simply tells you where to problem solve and practice.
@@mindofwatercolor True. But sometimes I can't tell where the problem is. I just know it doesn't look good.
Thank you for this great video. I really appreciate what you had to say. I struggle with being impatient with myself, and wanting to complete a process quickly while at the same time being too much of a perfectionist.
Exactly what I was thinking!!!😂
Steve, this was an enormously educational video. God moves in mysterious ways and the loss of your video gave you a new subject to discuss AND a reason to step past your own resistance and just looked what happened!!! For me, watching this reinforced what I discovered about pen versus pencil....with a pencil I spend too much time trying to get the image perfect but with a pen I don't have that option and have to go with the flow (so to speak) and as a result I actually find that while my pen sketches are less perfect, they have more 'personality' and 'life'. That is the difference, in my humble opinion, between your first plein air and the second. The second used a lot less detail overall but ended up being the more lifelike and pleasing to see. Not that I would turn my nose up at the first one either lol but you know what i mean i hope. You rock my socks as always :) xxx
Totally agree. The lost files made this a much better video than the one I had planned.
Ah, you've just put into words and shone a light on something that is an issue for me. As a result, looking through my work reveals a variety of 'styles'. Plus I go to do a drawing/painting (especially plein air) with an intention of how I want to work. Sit down, look at the scene and almost panic, and just launch into it, flying by the seat of my pants 😂. But recognising this, and videos like this, are the start of actually focussing on process, even more than end result. Hmm... thank you for this...🙏😊
Another inspiring video. Thank you so much, Steve. My nemesis is time...life always gets in the way of art.
Indecision is a struggle for me also. 🥴
I’ve been painting (recently) with the grapitint and Kuretake graphite. Am enjoying it.
Enjoyed the vid, thank you! I find that doing a subject more than once I get to take a chance or direction I wish I had done the last time.
Nemesis? Starting.
I really enjoy your channel Steve, do you think you could do another portrait or two soon? While your landscapes are incredible I really enjoy your approach to portraits.
Yes, soon
My nemesis is composition. I get to a location and just simply can’t decide what to paint.
Definitely have the same nemesis as you do. I love to play around with different techniques, different media, and really love to experiment as well. And to make it worse, I do many different crafts and hobbies as well. No word of a lie, I drive myself nuts sometimes 🤣🤣
Thanks!
Thanks so much Frances!
My nemesis is cash. I have spent a lot of money (in debt, now, with products I don't like) finding good paper, paint and brushes only to be thwarted in my efforts to learn technique and enjoy the process of watercolor. Just watercolor.
I guess my nemesis is ink. I love added ink to everything I paint. Unfortunately, I enjoy it so much that I wind up with a cartoonish looking piece. Maybe that's just my style? But I have a hard time creating a landscape because there's no where to add ink. To me, my landscapes just look like blobs of paint. I also stop too soon when creating a landscape. I'm a mess, I guess! LOL! But I have fun.
Loose painting techniques. My brain is just too obsessed with detail so I end up overworking loose styles every time I try to do it. Also painting from imagination. I guess to two go hand in hand?
My big nemesis for now is hard edges.
I suppose mine would have to be fear of failure. I don’t take a failed painting easily; I feel down, I haven’t made progress ( although I paint way better than I did 10 yrs ago), I can’t think of the approach method, and above all, I cannot simplify a complex scene, which makes my fear of failure kick in.
Don't feel bad. It's pretty common. Very specific problem solving is usually the solution. Try/fail cycles don't teach you anything without it. Break down the problems to specifics.
Both are beautiful! I’m wondering if you used the exact same supplies on each painting? My nemesis is fear of getting all of my supplies set up (I work on my bed) and then not feeling well enough to paint for long. Chronic illnesses really interfere with my painting. It also limits my experimentation with different supplies and watercolor. I buy my favorite professional supplies and stick with them for the best results.
Thank you for another great video. You help my rough days to be better when you post a video that I can watch.
Yes, with the exception of the grapitints.
So good!!!!❤
FEAR. I procrastinate in getting started because of fear. Why do I do that? I don't understand what is so hard about just getting started. i know it's not going to be a masterpiece and I accept that, but I just don't paint many times out of fear.
Your nemesis is the same as mine. 😊
I think my nemesis has to be inexperience or impatience.
Why is Alex a nemesis? Curious because he’s a contemporary of mine. I know about his process a bit, but wanted to hear your point of view. Cheers-lovely work.
I didn’t say Alex was a nemesis. He’s one of my favorite illustrators.
@@mindofwatercolorI had to listen again; clever framing. I brought it up because I understood his process as a gray undertone with colors layered over it. I always assumed it was a time saving device, since deadlines are strict in our business (being late to the printer means a fine to the publisher) and I was hoping to hear your insight to that process. I’m sure now that he has essentially retired from continuity that his latest process is more dedicated to a traditional approach. And yes he uses gouache, he likes how it moves under the brush for him.
Anyway, great channel. I’m going to be working on some gouache pieces for my upcoming commissions list that I’m excited about- I just need to finish my work with my publisher-and your work is inspiring. Kudos!
Isn't the dapples sunlit on your paper problem? maybe you need a sun shade?
I think a nemesis would be thinking I don't have enough time to paint so I don't get started. What's your cutoff point where you know you don't have time for a paint session? 15 min? 30 min? An hour? An afternoon?
My nemesis are people who insist Daniel Smith paints are better than M. Graham. 😂
😅
a nemesis?...yeah, I'm a retired makeup artist & always tend to make everything and everyone that I draw or paint look prettier than possible in real life...weird, huh?
Focus and motivation, motivation and focus - add a bit of OCD to the mix, sheesh.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the support!