Tips on How to use Watercolor Paints? (paintings included)

[Bronyette 835]

Okay, I'm pretty new to painting. I recently got a set of watercolors and I've tried my hand at painting but I can't make backgrounds really easily at all.

 

Do you paint them first and then try to paint your subject or is there some other technique better for watercolors? Whenever I make them they sorta blend into the subject and It doesn't look good at all. I would like to paint some ponies soon, but I would like to include some sort of a background as well.

 

Also any other tips or critiques would be appreciated!

 

 

 

Pikachu

 

 

 

Rainbow Giraffe

 

 

 

Wolf (first watercolor painting ever + cruddy background)

 

 

 

Sadly, the first painting I made is the best. ;-;

Edited March 28, 2013 by Bronyette

[Hansel 1,512]

Hello! Before I went digital, I used watercolours all the time. They're really quite wonderful for illustrative art work. I never really painted backgrounds (I'm more into character art) but when I did, they would just be simple colours to add a bit of atmosphere. I usually painted it once I had the character completely finished so that I could coordinate the background colour with the colours used for the character. 

 

 

 

(These are incredibly old, by the way)

 

Without background:

 

 

With background:

 

 

 

 

 

The dog/wolf is awesome, by the way. 

Edited March 28, 2013 by Hansel

[Bronyette 835]

Hello! Before I went digital, I used watercolours all the time. They're really quite wonderful for illustrative art work. I never really painted backgrounds (I'm more into character art) but when I did, they would just be simple colours to add a bit of atmosphere. I usually painted it once I had the character completely finished so that I could coordinate the background colour with the colours used for the character. 

 

 

 

(These are incredibly old, by the way)

 

Without background:

 

 

With background:

 

 

 

 

 

The dog/wolf is awesome, by the way. 

Aww Thank you, it was the only one I actually spent a large amount of time on. The others were just really quick practice.   I really like the use of pen in your drawings, they are all so good. Even if they are old, they are still amazing. Maybe if I practice enough I could paint like that someday. :3 Or at least I hope. 

Edited March 28, 2013 by Bronyette