Watercolor tries

So I was lucky enough to win the Beaufort Sister Cities mural competition in Beaufort, NC back in May. It is a great event put on annually, in which the winner gets a trip to a sister city in France, and stays with a host family for around 5 days getting a local's view of as many sights around the region as you can take. We are heading down to a Beaufort in the Midi-Pyrenees region of France, near the city of Toulouse in the south. But more about the trip in another post. 

Knowing we had a baby on the way, who would have to make the trip with us, I decided to take a stab at learning a medium I've always loved but never seriously attempted. Due to its ease of packing, I decided soon after the competition that I'd attempt watercolor on site instead of worrying about all of the weight and logistics involved with shipping or carrying my oil painting gear over there. So I pulled out my Cotman watercolor palette and a brush and began taking a small watercolor setup out painting, usually one every couple days. It soon turned into one a day, then 2, sometimes 3. Suddenly, my oils are getting hard in the studio, and I'm out slinging water. I produce and sell oils, but the freedom I feel taking out my watercolor set has gotten me so jazzed about them, I have to make myself continue painting in oils, now mainly larger sizes in the studio. I don't know if it's the lack of pressure, knowing I'm not good enough to sell them or what, but I love the look and feel of watercolor! I am addicted to the immediacy, the quality of the color, the drips and splatters, the drawing process, the speed. 

Watercolor is not called the medium of the masters for nothing. Especially coming from the direction of oils. It seems everything is done in reverse, plus there is little masking of mistakes. It's so easy to overwork them, you need a fairly good idea of where things are going to go before you put color to paper, but with all the challenges, it has gotten to me. I am a complete novice with the medium, but I am willing to put in the effort to get competent, and who knows, I may even produce some worthy of a frame one day. So here are some paintings, in no chronological order, from June through August. Some are better than others, mistakes can be seen in all of them, but each is a step to the next, and the experience is the most important thing right now anyway. Any watercolor artists with suggestions, please slip me some pointers!