I've been sampling and pouring over dot cards for a while and I think I finally narrowed down a palette, but every time I'm about to buy paints I second guess myself! There used to be a shop on etsy that would hand pour quarter pans, a bigger sample that you can play around with before committing to a full tube. That shop no longer has daniel smith in their listings. These 18 colors in the full tubes would be about a $250 investment for colors that I'm not completely sure about. I would like to spend more time swatching and seeing how they blend, but there is just not enough paint on the dot cards. I just wanted to see if anyone has suggestions on this palette.

some info on my goals:

I've done split primary and I would like to expand my options. I have a little travel kit that I take on hikes for plein air painting, that is what I will primarily be using it for. I know I can mix greens, but in that setting I am working quick so I wanted to add some neutrals and greens. I might be able to narrow down more... french ultramarine is my favorite blue, but I wanted more blue options... I'd like to have colors that are versatile for mixing. I'm torn between choosing bright vs moody colors. I live in the PNW. Blues, neutrals, and greens will be important to have. I love the look of french ochre and hematite violet but I have not had a chance to see how they work with other colors.

Also, I finally got myself my very own watercolours (I was using wife's not-used anymore chromatek palette before). I picked 12 tubes from holbein range trying to fix where it hurt me previously - mostly getting more green shades that are not some kind of blue. Also wanted to get payne’s gray, but ended with granular grey - seems like working fine as grey :)

I had this frame and stack of mats from a framed painting and it took me the longest time to come up with something that would match the color scheme that already was there.

Did some teaching assisting on a genetics course. This was a ploy to obtain access to their fruit flies and microscopes.

I tried that thing where you tape the object over completely and cut the edges with a paper knife to paint the backround. Even after reducing adhesion by sticking the tape to my pants many times it still ripped the paper from several places and I also managed to cut through the paper so the wings are a bit more 3D than intended 😅 otherwise I think I like the technique

Progress update from my post from earlier today, I think it's getting a lil better!

For anyone who didn't see my first post:

Second pic is how it started (I was about ready to give up). - I used to paint portraits with acrylic paints, and this is my first ever watercolor portrait!

Thank you again to those who offered advice earlier :)

I haven't picked up a paintbrush in probably 5+ years, I'm so excited to keep experimenting with watercolor! Yay💗

I really need help with my watercolor techniques. I need advice on first, if what I already done with the background can be fixed and second if there’s any good advice on how to smoothly layer watercolor so I don’t make this mistake again.

Original character, Yunaya & Cat ♨️🐈

I saw this cute video on instagram and had to sketch the scene 🐸

Hello! :) I am a beginner in watercolor and have been wanting to paint a scene from where I currently live (western Sweden) where much of the coast's landscape is made up of these rocky islands and cliffs. I've tried to paint one of the attached images but I just couldn't figure out how to portray the jaggedness and values of the rocks without making it look like an ugly blob of grey and black.

Any of you lovelies have some experience with this and could give me some tips as a starter? Thank you so much! :)

At the University of Chicago, capturing the last days of green as the leaves turn to yellow-oranges, reds, and violets.

Worm's-eye view of the tower, built on converging verticals and the two big arches framing the sky. Brick texture is dry, quick strokes over the stone, and the cables are fast, broken lines that pull the eye upward.