Hello everyone. I'm new to watercolour (and art in general). Been trying to teach myself on and off for the past year. I came across Oliver's YouTube channel and although I am more drawn to painting urban scenes, I am using Oliver's tips to help and am attempting some more "classic" landscapes too.

I watched the Ollys video on "creating visual interest" in watercolour and loved how he used his rule of 3's, of laying down paint, then when it's drying adding in more concentrated paint for slightly darker tones and then right before it dries putting in the darkest darks with a "sticky" paint.

I used to paint a layer, let it dry, then paint in shadows, let it dry then paint in the darkest darks. I've been trying Ollys tips but I seem to be making a muddy mess! Neither my original way of painting (which didn't blend colours together well) or this way seem to be working for me. Any tips would be gratefully received! I hope I've explained myself. Am desperate to create beautiful, fresh looking watercolours where you see the colours and the white of the paper like Olly does, but am feeling a bit useless right now. Thanks everyone!