I've been using watercolour on an off since decades, and I've often felt good making the paintings, but i was almost as often dissatisfied with the result. Since I year or so I'm watching Olivers YouTube videos and doing most of the suggested exercises, and I'm making big leaps forward, even my partner recognises it, who is probably the most critical pubic one can get.
Here is the making and the result of a recent project that started last summer in Vezely, Burgundy, where I made a pencil sketch that took me 2 hours sitting on a bench and that I have been improving in successive iterations in my office, because the perspective is very complex. I found at least four different vanishing points, and I've really been sweating. The colour sketch in water colour was to test colour mixes and overall impression, but still shows the old clumsiness. I made the final painting over the Christma holidays. There are still glitches here an there (too much glazing on the wall on the right side, not quite the right final colour. Some edges are imprecise, here and there the contrast is a little too high, but overall I have a good feeling. Tell me your feedback, I'm honesty interested and not fishing for compliments.
Oh and yes, there maybe one problem: the landscape part of the painting is really very small. I hope you'll forgive me.
I turned the images clockwise in my photo editor, but it doesn't come through in the upload. Help!
I made a few final tweaks to the painting. I finished the upper left corner, which wasn't planning to be in the final picture, but as I managed to add the beginning of the window below, it made sense to complete roof. I made the color and tone of the shadows below the roofs more consistent. I added a very light and diffuse shadow below the pedenstrians. I added a few branches and leaves to the rose bush.
I managed to put the pictures in the correct orientation, but don't know how to remove the ealier uploads (or correcdt them).
I turned the image by importing it into my photo editing software. You can either look in the various menus -- image, edit, or some such -- and look for a rotate command, or find the rotate button in the toolbar. Then I exported it the same way you post an image.
There's so much to like about your painting of the street in Vezelay. I'm particularly struck by the way the dress in the window acts as a second and surprising focus after you take in the pedestrians and buildings. What a delight to discover that mysterious form.
I thought it would be easier to see it in another orientaion: