Pine Branch Botanical Watercolor Journaling - Kilimanjaro Paper

Little signs of spring are starting to emerge here and there. I thought it would be fun to journal a few of the fleeting buds and forms. I'll start with this pine branch and the pods that will eventually grow into a pine cone. I'll also be testing my Kilimanjaro Field Journal from Cheap Joes for the first time. A nice 100% cotton watercolor journal.
Colors used:
Paynes Gray
Cobalt Violet
Prussian Blue
Phthalo Blue
Sap Green
Azo Green
Nickel Azo Yellow
Azo Yellow
Transparent Orange Iron Oxide
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[@adelehammond1621]

I was just thinking this sorta subject would be great with gouache over a watercolour background I would love more videos like this

[@felicitycrowe6971]

Really love this one! Thank you for sharing😊

[@loissemanek1715]

Thanks for the tips on masking. I could never get that right.

[@kennethmoore1948]

brilliant there are not many artists that are so willing to show others. I have been watching you from the very start you have helped me so much thankyou ken moore from the uk

[@rg2265]

I am MOVED by this tutorial of yours. Thank you!

[@Rubbereyes]

I loved this video. Thanks.

[@martamccool2740]

Love it!

[@monmoraes]

beautiful painting.

[@mariakellner2221]

I'm with you Steve, just love details,tfs,this lovely demo.

[@NH-mr3jc]

I absolutely LOVE your style...thank you!

[@lisesheeba4156]

So inspiring....great whites

[@stacyhannon4081]

Yay!!! A new video!!! So excited for spring here in the Carolinas through your eyes Steve!!!

[@jodihigginsjh]

Beautiful! One of my favorites!

[@dianamccay7276]

Wow! That is absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the video!

[@Linda-qq5mg]

Your painting is so very realistic! The colors that you have used just pop! Thank you for a great tutorial.

[@glenisepearson7407]

Beautiful! I need to do more sketchbook work, you are so inspiring. Thank you.

[@Trinkafi]

OH the POLLEN! Seriously though what a great idea for the sketch paper mixed with the watercolor paper.

[@cherigreen4471]

Stunningly beautiful! I can smell the pine!

[@valeriapeddis5216]

Thank you for tour art!! Lovely

[@michelebedard2226]

Spring is just springing where I am! This is exactly the subject I've been experimenting with. I have a beautiful blue spruce in my yard! Thanks!

[@becbeccobb]

Beautiful! This looks amazing! I’ll have to give masking another try. Soap is a great tip. Thanks Steve!

[@MSKCCooke]

Beautiful! Thank you for showing the process of the background too!

[@maureengarcia5478]

Terrific demo! You pulled back the curtain on painting complex subjects. Thank you!

[@samanthaschubert154]

Beautiful, simply beautiful! Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge with people like me who aren’t able to do patrons at this time. It means a lot to be able to see how it’s done and the calming joy it can be done in. Thank you 😊

[@MPLangerArt]

Such a gorgeous painting! I'm really happy for you that you've found a 100% cotton sketchbook! What a great idea to put a piece of sketching paper between each piece of watercolour paper.

[@scarz1951]

Those pine needles are beautiful. Maybe some day I'll have a whack at it If they loosen the buckles to this darn jacket long enough. Thankee kindly Steve. Appreciate it I do.

[@CoraBlu080605]

This will make a perfect cover for the camping vacation book for this summer. Bookmarked for later.

[@sallyskellington2004]

Thank you, I enjoyed this one. Why is there 17 thumbs down? Get serious people this did not deserve that.

[@purpleplump6650]

Beautiful work....... I can smell the pine from here !

[@GrandJan46]

Wonderful tutorial Steve. Thank you as always.

[@iartistdotme]

AWESOME! We can't ever duplicate or even photograph the real life beauty of things He created, however, your art shows here that sometimes art provides a wonderful look at the minutia even better than a photograph. Loved when you said your art became a celebration of the things you see. I can relate to that and appreciate how you said it. Wonderful!!

[@plekang1]

I agree Mary! Often, when I'm painting things like this, I find myself singing in my mind or even humming out loud the song "Have you seen Jesus my Lord?" kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5enlYt5o8R3Z9k It's REMARKABLE to me how much MORE a person can see when you're painting nature! A simple leaf is not just GREEN ... there so much more happening there that He has created! AWESOME!

[@thokchomjayshree8089]

Brilliant, wonderful, beautiful

[@murieldecay7048]

Vraiment mille merci, vous êtes un artiste incroyable

[@montebleu1351]

So Realistic. Awesome To Watch The Process.

[@disgrace2012]

This is amazing!! Absolutely love it, thanks for a great tutorial.

[@audreydewar1108]

great way to bring in spring as another Nor'easter approaches - enjoying this video -- thanks

[@needle.thread.watercolor-jloh]

Beautiful pollen cones on pine. Like the highlights on the needles. Thank you for sharing your art.

[@rgrdesigns]

Loved this! You are an excellent communicator of tips for improving art. I will definitely check out that paper.

[@Arovarel]

Absolutely gorgeous 😍

[@kathywilden7702]

I love this painting. You did a wonderful job portraying these pine branches. Also love your background.

[@janetdempsey4729]

This was so enjoyable Steve. It gave me the much needed inspiration. Your paintings are always so beautiful

[@shirley911]

Beautiful painting. I liked your background demo. It really sets off the pine.

[@gingerbuchanan2795]

I've had great success using a soapy water brush to apply masking. It hasn't messed up the tip so far. Nice controllable lines too. Thanks for all you do. I love your work...learn so much!

[@donnamiller5936]

Thanks Steve!! Learned a lot from watching once again! Hmmm now comes the applying!! Please keep teaching , God has given you a gift of teaching! Lord Bless!

[@malinamorin4296]

You are such an inspiration! I hope everyone who knows you is aware of how lucky they are.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Wow, thanks!

[@cambiumlayer1318]

Looks photographic...lovely!.

[@andymandyandsheba4571]

love the painting Steve amazing detail

[@annbornstein45]

Beautiful!

[@jobell7356]

Thank you once more a fascinating video

[@bevann716]

Another great video. I learn so much from your videos. I would never have known where to begin with a subject like this. You make it so clear. Thank you.

[@maryalgar8779]

So pretty!

[@kjellkanin]

Magnificent!

[@yelsyels]

Loving it! This tutorial is different from your previous tutorials but don't give up on your previous tutorials because they are also superb.

[@songsparrowadventures]

beautiful, thank you for sharing

[@kcald9891]

Beautiful painting and beautiful thoughts!

[@robertweinblatt2018]

GORGEOUS❤️‍🔥🥇😍🥰

[@mssfldt]

Nice one. Thanks for sharing!

[@dawnymock]

So talented ! Thanks for sharing 🌺

[@azzuparis]

Really like this botanical painting! The details are great. Thanks for sharing :)

[@jayboehm3382]

That is amazing! I'm always inspired by your work to try my hand at different things, so thanks for giving me this nudge toward a close up botanical.

[@lvmylord54]

I've been painting my Bradford Pear Tree. It has bloomed out in it's usual white flowers, and just as every Spring, then also comes the wind that blows off the flowers but they are replaced with green leaves.

[@mariafiermonte1555]

Bellissimo, grazie!

[@CashSly]

Very inspiring! I always enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing!

[@delila351]

I even liked the painting while the mask was on :). Of course, it turned out fantastic. Love your teachings.

[@atokea77777]

Great ! thank you for your video ! Very insteresting for beginner, following close painting.

[@jenniewebb7369]

Hi Steve, thanks for this great video. I'm a new painter and love painting the detail too. It's kind of addictive, especially when set against a dark background. We don't have these types of botanicals where I live in sub-tropical Queensland in Australia, but your techniques are SO translatable I'll be using them on my renderings of our local flora.

[@carolmcbrideonline]

gorgeous! what patience!!

[@cathymartin8778]

Almost spring happens in February here in coastal Georgia. But right now we are about to have the late summer beauty berries...getting my art hut ready paint!

[@Kat-fg3qw]

Love it

[@mariateresarezett7363]

Hace muy poco , descubrí sus videos y realmente son maravillosos ! Gracias por compartir sus experiencias,UD es muy generoso de dar los pequeños detalles,UD sabe :step by step.A mi me encanta pintar en pequeños formatos too. Saludos desde Buenos Aires, Argentina.

[@suchetamisra4672]

wow!!!! so beautiful!!!! I'm inspired to re start my painting!!! thanks

[@satyakibiswas930]

It is almost 1am here in India. But I think I'm going to try to paint this right now. Thank you Steve for motivating. Wish me luck.

[@lindazorich6734]

Wonderful video Ken. I'm currently working on a watercolor page and this video helped me to define what I was thinking of working on for my watercolor page that was already started. Your narrative as you work, is and was very helpful. I will continue to find and watch your videos as they are a wealth of information. Thank you for sharing.

[@riotstarter112]

Loved this video, Steve. I tried to do a painting similar to this and had quite a few issues as I tried to do it without masking fluid, but this really cleared some things up.

[@capbin146]

Very beautiful, you have a steady hand and such patience with attention to detail. I will never manage that but love trying to learn the skills.

[@mindofwatercolor]

I've found the more success you have in accomplishing techniques and learning new skills the more patience will come because you enjoy the process more. 😊

[@essietangle9931]

I ve been watching for this, thanks for the video.

[@mindofwatercolor]

You bet!

[@lubapatitucci5831]

Cool! It's really looks beautiful! So realistic 😎

[@deborahthompson3847]

Really enjoyed this!

[@cassiescreations9828]

I love what you said about celebrating the intricate details, as well as the final form. And the pollen ... you made those "bad" pollen makers into a beautiful painting.

[@mindofwatercolor]

😄

[@cassiescreations9828]

Gracie Anna Shack Art Shack Actually, Gracie, what Steve was referring to (that I liked so much) was the "stages of development" that we sometimes ignore or simply do not see. He made a painting at this particular stage of development of the pinecone; it is as beautiful at this stage as it is in it's final form (the whole complete pinecone). He is asking us to appreciate the stages of development, in other words. It just so happens that at this stage of development, it produces alot of pollen, as well. 😃

[@cassiescreations9828]

Gracie Anna Shack Art Shack. I so wish that I could draw well. I either must trace or go online and watch a step by step video. Hopefully, you can draw better than I can! Enjoy your day!

[@ashleyevans3330]

Beautiful 😍

[@MDCampbell]

You kids with your fancy "Spring." We New Englandfolk don't count our groundhogs before they see their shadows! With three major nor'easters in the past month under our belts, we've got another one coming tomorrow, promising another 10-20" inches of snow. Yay! So, seeing this video gets me prematurely excited! lol! That Kilamanjaro (sp?) paper looks great, so may be something for me in the future. Funny, a student asked me today to paint a lotus flower, and I told her that it would take me a few days and that botanicals are something I take far too seriously when I do them. I love the way you lay down the mask and leverage it to keep your whites. I haven't used mask when painting, but I have it, so perhaps it's something I might want to explore. This was just an outstanding tutorial and inspiration for getting me to start looking at the outdoors again... which I'll do _after_ the thaw! Thank you, Steve! Cheers! :)

[@mindofwatercolor]

Oh no! Your groundhogs may never see another shadow again at that rate. The Kiliamanjaro paper has been a pleasant surprise and a delight to work on. I'll be doing more work on it this week. Just another good paper for people looking for options. Mask is one of those things that feels inconvenient at the time but afterwards the results are always worth it. Thanks my friend. Stay warm!

[@danthomas6587]

Real nice study. I see pollen. I sneeze. So, gotta go....

[@gloriagomez2327]

Beauitful ! You make it all look so easy ! Has anyone mentioned you have very graceful hands ? Love all your videos, you are an awesome instructor !!!!!

[@MeowMeowKapow]

There are some super cute, super tiny flowers in my neighborhood that JUST started sprouting and they made me want to paint so hard! So glad you're using Kilamanjaro! It's one of my favorite papers, which I think I've mentioned here before? I think they're great papers and the two different colors available are super nice! Their 6x4 blocks are really affordable, too! Love them.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, seems like pretty great paper. Not certain but pretty sure its Saunders Waterford.

[@tracyraven7444]

Omg... ❤❤❤

[@EveBolt]

Beautiful painting Steve! That sketchbook looks great! I'll have to look for something similar but easy to find here :) Thanks for the video!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Eve!

[@susanjaneritter]

Wish I could give you more than one "thumbs up"...masterful and lovely!

[@0tater0]

Fantastic videos. Easy to follow.

[@lornamiles-baum7035]

I just got my first M Graham paints and had to write to tell you how pleased I am with them. I know this is off the subject for today but I am so excited. All I have done so far is squeeze a dot of each out and do a paint test. I have not even mixed colours yet but they are so geat I just had to say so.

[@capbin146]

Lorna Miles-Baum Me too when I got my first ones to try and that was because of Steve. Enjoy them

[@richardlumpkin4607]

Nicely done Steve!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Richard!

[@tracyraven7444]

Robert Di Niro of watercolour 😍😍😍

[@susanhamilton1822]

Beautiful Steve. :)

[@DrawingWithFire]

Great video Steve! 😁 I just adore the colors you choose. You also know I love pine cones. 😉 You must have painted these just for me. 😆 I looked at these journals, but wasn't sure. Maybe I should pick one up, I do like the idea of being able to sketch ideas before drawing. Might be good for hubby too. I hope you are doing well my friend. 🤗

[@mindofwatercolor]

Hey thanks Val. Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah pine cones are fun. There is so much spring stuff starting to happen I sort of don't know what to paint next. I didn't even get to paint all the bare branch trees I wanted and they're about to get all their leaves back. LOL! Its a great paper and a nice sketchbook. I like the ideas of including drawing paper very much. Thanks, you guys take care!

[@lindascoleman220]

Another beautiful watercolor picture! Can you please do a video on sketching and painting pine cones with snow? Thank you for sharing your amazing videos.

[@IwtptFG2D]

Great Steve as ever, such a good idea to observe the changes during the emerging Spring.....however, it’s still snowing here in Scotland so will have to wait a little bit. Like the look of the Kilimanjaro pad, had a search for it but it doesn’t look like we can get it here in the UK. Thanks again for a great video. I especially love that velvety background. You are so inspiring 😇

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks. I'll bet the hills of Scotland are beautiful, though with the snow. In the UK, you might have better access to Langton Prestige or Saunders Waterford. Both top UK made brands and both cotton.

[@IwtptFG2D]

The Mind of Watercolor Thanks for the advice Steve, funnily enough I just ordered a couple of pads of Langton Prestige recently so looking forward to trying it. I’m not a fan of Daler Rowney’s cheaper paper so wasn’t sure if I should or not but sounds like it should fine then. Thanks again S.

[@annevanderwoude9319]

I really enjoyed yuor video.

[@InLiquidColor]

Beautiful painting, Steve! I'm smitten with the Kilimanjaro but it's a bit cost prohibitive... off to order some Saunders to give it a go! :) Thanks for the suggestion.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Denise! It is very nice paper. It’s been a bit of a Cheap Joes mystery, discussed in forums for years, as to where it’s made. The latest guess I’ve seen (and most likely) is St Cuthbert’s Mill in the UK where Saunders Waterford and Milford are made. It’s the closest texture match of all when I compare side by side. And Cheap Joe’s offers a SW field book as well so it’s a good bet. Blick Premier may be SW also. I just received some of that and it’s made in England too. Hmmm.

[@plekang1]

LOVE that dark background Steve! I'm sure it's a challenge to get the "balance" correct on the background color - dark enough to get the needles to POP and the right COLOR back there so the needles don't get lost in the mix. But you nailed it! I would have likely leaned more in the greens without your direction ... and the needles would have gotten lost. Beautiful sir - THANKS!!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Paul. Yeah, I got most of the clues for darkness and contrast from my photo reference which had the effect I was looking for.

[@SharonCullenArt]

Nice painting Steve! I like Kilimanjaro paper but have only used their 300lb which is amazing! I am going to try this book you show though. I like that it has the drawing paper in it too. Interesting. Even using it for thumbnail sketches is nice to have.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Sharon. The paper is very nice and yeah, I like the idea of the drawing sheets too. Seems like an obvious idea now.

[@CydMindful]

You sure brought that to life in a beautiful way. I'd love to turn you loose in my backyard. We've got walnut, pecan (those will pop in a couple more weeks), honeysuckle, crab apple and a couple hundred sweet gums about ready to bust loose. Along the road wild buttercups have come to life and the magnolias are getting their buds. All slong the highway and down by the creek where I walk the dog in the mornings the pear trees are in full bloom, all that white with a towering background of fresh green. takes a person's breath away. I'll be trying my hand with it, but I bet you could make it a magic show. If that Kilamanjaro is Saunders, couldn't a sketch/painting pad be made at a lower cost buying packs of the paper at Cheap Joe's, cutting it to size, sandwiching it with sketch paper, and having it spiral bound at a place like Staples? Thanks for that video. It did the soul some good.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Cyd. Yes, you can make your own sketchbook in that way for sure if you want to take the time and trouble. I'm going to be making a few myself of different paper brands since I recently acquired a wire binding machine.

[@CydMindful]

The Mind of Watercolor Now that’s a real toy to have on hand 🤗. It’ll be nice seeing what you do with them.

[@btl43blues]

Steve you continue to inspire me! Thank you so much for sharing your gifts with us.I have read that one way to keep your color paintings fresh and spontaneous is to put the paint down once and do not go back and "fuss" with it. Would you comment on that when you have time? Thank you.

[@mindofwatercolor]

It can be true, certainly, but it shouldn't be a hard and fast rule. Whats more important is knowing what the wetness factor is, what any additional colors will do to the mix and what continued brushing will do. It comes with experience, as in knowing if you touch it one more time or add that particular type of wash whether or not you'll ruin it. But in general, yes, fresher and simpler is usually better with watercolor.