Create an untouched, peaceful backdrop complimented by what appears to be 'effortless' art displayed in center. I like to shade, shadow, and go over when I've already done my first lines (and the black paint has turned a lighter gray) to add definition as well as character. A mistake can be more easily fixed this way as well...

......and can be made *shrugs* *cries* *falls over*.

I like lettering. Lettering is not always my thing. It's easily messed up, and I don't like doing it sometimes because I can't keep a word straight. 

How people used to write without lined paper....*shiver*.

However, the transparency and fluent beauty of words painted in watercolor has got to be tried out. I'm definitely not an expert at this, but, after I paint them (and they are still wet) I sometimes go through with the same color and dab it on edges to create an even more texturey, pintresty, artsy look.

So...I mentioned this in my last post, about color having THE WORLD TO DO with this style of painting. Not necessarily color in general, but the way you play with it. The ballerina above (wearing pointe shoes *cringe*) is shades of all different blacks and gray tones. I left her colorless, and then used a dark blue color to emphasize the George Balanchine quote. This way, our main focus is both the dancer and the letters. 

The letters being bold blue, and the dancer's pose demanding attention = nothing missed by viewer.

And the dancer is just more romantic in black and white. 

*whispers*...here's a secret. I painted the top leg first (the one in the scorpion) and it came out dis-proportioned with the lower one. So I made the knee fatter---you can see my flaws *cry* *cringe*. And the proportions turned out right.

Granted, I do not favor this odd knee...no. But the painting was not a complete mistake, and I sort of "closed the wound" to make it view able.

Lesson?

DON'T ALWAYS GIVE UP ON MISTAKES.

I painted this in less than a half an hour for my dance teacher on teacher's day! I was so happy with the way it turned out...and apparently other people were because I may have my first watercolor job.