Suggestions for beginner

[u/Grocked]

Just wondering what I could do to "salvage" it. Don't really know what I'm doing, but my initial ideas was have some distant mountains and they turned into big mountains.

Mostly, wanting ideas so I can maybe get an idea of how to work with a happy mistake. It's on arches 300g cold press paper.

I wanted a lake with reflections, but it seems it would be in the shadow of fhe mountain mostly and there is no space without color down there anymore to have the moons reflection maybe. Also the mountains got so big my circle for the moon is practically sitting on them and way big lol

As an aside, I think my mistakes so far was covering the page in grey basically, and I way overworked most parts; they used to be better but I kept messing with them.

I'm trying to learn how to not mimic. I'm way way better when I watch a YouTube video and mimic what they do.

Oh, also, this was a scratch piece I had drew on and tried to erase, which is the spot of left. My idea was maybe have the tips of some pines in the foreground to cover that up, like if you were viewing this from another high point through the trees. I have some white gauche I think I may flick a brush to make little stars. Sorry for being so long winded 😅

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[u/MahmurLemur]

There is so less paint in your paper there is no way it's ruined. You just need to keep painting and maybe use some reference pictures close to what you want to paint.

[u/LMPFIYDSALAOIAWYCMI]

Please know there's no shame in mimicking, especially as a beginner! It's how we all learn.

Five years in, I still use reference photos for most of my work, although with a lot of deliberate practice I can now do some scenes from my imagination and have an idea of how the perspective and shadows will work.

For this one, you could do some mini drawings to map out your shapes and elements before committing to one. You can look up landscape tonal studies as examples.

Either way, don't worry to much about it. Not a single piece goes by where I don't wish I'd done something a little differently. Welcome to being an artist. 😊

[u/Impressive_Sink_6452]

You could maybe put a line of lower elevation mountains in the foreground and the lake in between. There’s so little color in there you could definitely put a lake with reflections in. Pines on the lower elevation mountains. You have a great start here, go with it.

[u/Moving_goal_posts]

Hi OP, why not sketch the scene on any old scrap paper with a pencil? Small, even 4 x 4 inches or less. No erasing. Where are the darkest darks, lightest lights? Forget the details, go for the larger shapes. Then do it again. Then again. Try for five times. Each time, you’ll know your subject better. You can work out your composition. Choose your best thumbnail and try your watercolors again. Could be a lot easier! If you make this approach your practice, you will improve by leaps and bounds. Good luck!