What I'm working on today. (Patreon)

I hope you are all well and busy with life! I just thought I'd share some photos from my painting table today.

I've just started a Hydrangea painting because I know a lot of people, for a long time, have been asking me for a Hydrangea tutorial. I started working on the Bluebird tutorial yesterday as well. I also have been going through my Sea Turtle photos and I found one I'd like to paint. I know I told you I'd be painting a Sea Turtle soon (it's coming). There's also a Hyacinth Macaw painting I want to start. There's never a dull moment around here, just not enough hours in the day. I almost forgot....I want to do some Christmas themed painting subjects too. I can't believe how fast this year has gone.

Someone on YouTube asked me today if I always recommend painting shadows first. My answer was: 'It depends on what I am painting. Sometimes I paint the shadows last. If I paint a giraffe say... or a zebra or a butterfly, they have patterns, stripes and spots that have to be painted on. If I paint the shadows on after I've painted the patterns, stripes, spots I risk disturbing them. So I paint the shadows first. On a flower or a bird, there are fewer things to disturb so I'll probably paint the shadows towards the end of the painting. When I paint in watercolour I 'paint' the subject in my head before I put brush to paper. Each painting takes planning. Some subjects I won't attempt in watercolour if I can't find a way to paint it in my head first. You can't paint over any mistakes like you can with other mediums so the planning is important.'

When you start a new painting do you think about how you are going to paint it before you start? Do you think about what area to start first? Do you paint it in your head first like I do? Maybe you paint a trial painting, smaller version first.