Learning from the Pros

Hydrangeas2 per Shari B demo
Watercolor
6" x 9" Arches cold press paper

I mentioned earlier this year that I was looking forward to a 5-day workshop in early April with Shari Blaukopf, one of my very favorite contemporary watercolorists. Held in Santa Barbara, a place I've been wanting to explore, the workshop was to be a retirement gift to myself after decades of balancing day jobs with creative projects in art and writing.  

Unfortunately, a family emergency took priority and I missed the workshop. What's that saying about best-laid plans? 

But I gifted the workshop to a friend--an excellent artist herself--who had a great learning experience. And fortunately, I still have life-time access to a number of online classes that I've purchased from Shari. They're not the same as working with someone in person, but they certainly help. I would recommend any of her online workshops. 

Currently I'm working through the one called "Sketching Fresh Flowers." I think I'm finally understanding how much to saturate my brushes with water and paint when I want luminous color with the first application. 

This imitation of one of Shari's demos of painting hydrangeas still doesn't hit the high mark that she establishes. Even so, I feel like I'm having this mini-breakthrough about color/paint saturation that I hope will help my continuing efforts to grow as a watercolorist.

Below is my first version of Shari's demo. I liked the juicy colors on the hydrangeas, but I made the background much too dark. Yet Version 2, above, is a little too timid--not juicy and splashy enough. 

Hydrangeas1 per Shari B
Watercolor
6" x 9" Arches cold press paper

Sometimes it does help to imitate paintings created by the pros. I would never pass my imitations off as my own creations. Now it's time to apply my new knowledge to my own compositions. The sooner the better because these insights don't always last long.