Introduction to Painting, Water Color

I've never really painted. I always sketched, doodled.

The latter seemed to come intuitively. Color is kind of confounding to me.

I'm not an attention to detail person. I glance at a picture just long enough to think to myself "ooh I like that".

Color is whole new dimension for me. I never considered visual art as a potential livelihood growing up, nor did I consider it a chief hobby. For most of my life I wouldn't even have counted it among my hobbies at all.

Anyone who keeps up with my blog or knows me, would know that I didn't take visual art very seriously until I really got into my gel pen doodles.

For those who don't keep up with my blog or know, which is most people, I'll tell you now.

About a year ago I started doing doodles with my pilot g2 7mm work pen at the Toyota Plant where I used to work. I found what I did striking and unique. That's what got me into this art thing.

I've been unemployed since February now.

My art still hasn't generated the kind of demand that I'll need to sustain myself or my family. In fact, I've only sold one piece to date.

I had hoped that black and white would be enough to grab eyes, but deep down I knew people, myself included, want, no, they need color.

I've tried to put off painting for some time. I've tried using colored pencils in between the sharp lines of my inky doodles. This never, in my opinion, worked in a way that enhanced what I had initially laid down line and shape wise.

Two days ago I bought a small Windsor and Newton Catman Watercolour set. It's simple, including 13 colors. I've made 3 water color pieces since then and I intend to keep churning them out and learning about painting.

This is the biggest challenge I've faced so far. I can't yet do the things with a brush that make me feel like I have a unique style but, we persevere.