From the beginning then...

The folly is really good - focusing on the important and leaving out all that extraneous detail

Syd's point is one well worth registering - if there isn't enough information in a photograph, or conversely too much, you're either going to be wondering what to fill the space with, or you'll end up trying to cram everything in: and both of these things are recipes for disaster. Watercolour is ideally about the evanescent effects - some of the Victorian painters who used body colour, ie mixed a quantity of white with their paint, tried to make it as detailed as oil paint but ended up with very laboured work; they tried to make watercolour do what it's not good at doing. The only way I would have tried painting your view of Salisbury in watercolour would have involved a great deal of simplification. Certainly trying to lay detail over a previously painted wash is asking for trouble. Having said all that, though, I find a lot of promise in those samples above - just don't try running before you can walk, that's all. Start with simple paintings - do look at Alan Owen's work on YouTube - and work your way up from there. I doubt that there's anything wrong with your brushes - the hake is a very difficult brush to master, until you work out that it mustn't be used when it's soaking wet, and it repays a fairly sizeable sheet of paper, eg quarter, half or full Imperial, where you have plenty of room for big, expressive strokes. Buy a couple if you like, plus a mop, but if you've got a range of brushes already then keep using them until you become familiar with what they will and won't do: you can add to your armoury as you progress - you may find the hake suits your approach, but I should be inclined to give it time and get the feel of the equipment you've already invested in. I think all you need is practice - which you should keep doing: there will be failures, back-runs, cauliflowers, ruined paper, frustration, and in this medium there always are even when you fool yourself that you've cracked it. So keep doing what you're doing, I suggest, and don't get disappointed with yourself if the huge vista you tried to tackle is a bit beyond your present skills. Certainly try big paintings and paint whatever appeals to you, but yes - make plenty of little sketches and studies, test out the paints and find out what they'll do - you don't need to worry about doing those instead of bigger paintings, do them as well; as many and as often as possible, but not up to the point at which you get sick of them! Finally - is "teal" just the word you're using to describe a colour, or the name of the paint on the tube? I think I have seen a watercolour paint labelled Teal somewhere - but might quite easily be imagining it. It doesn't matter, just curious.

Ah, just saw the folly. Excellent - keep doing this sort of thing, get yourself a little sketchbook of watercolour paper, or make one up yourself from sheets, and do lots of these studies. They'll be of huge help to you when you come to do a bigger painting. Weather-vane - don't worry about it being exact: we've got cameras for literal reality - look at watercolours in which such details are just indicated with two or three strokes of a pointed brush.

Teal is a sort of green shaded blue colour - not sure if is named after them but there are several types of teal duck all or most of which have splashes of this colour in their plumage. As far as watercolour is concerned Daniel Smith does a Cobalt Blue Teal if you care to take a gander (sorry should that be 'take a duck' - er perhaps not) at their colour chart.

David....Your folly is very promising in that you have cut down to essentials, and so your work makes a statement "I am a folly. Look at me, my shapes, my little oddities etc....." I like very much the way you have contrasted the darks in the windows with the lighter tones. Contrast is very important, and I often think when putting down a dark tone in watercolour it is best to put it down (very bravely and with some trepidation!) darker than your eye actually sees it, because as it dries watercolour can be a real imp and dry far paler than you intended! Try it...it can suddenly go "ZING!" As I have said somewhere before, watercolour can be as strong a medium as it can be a gentle, ethereal, tinted one. So Yes, experiment, you will get there, believe me. Little sketches of little areas will work dividends for you. Big works attempted too soon can dishearten.....Paint a gate, a shed door, a chimney, a teapot on a table, anything focussed and simple. And no, your brushes do not matter to any great extent.

Far be it from me to throw a spanner in the works, as that is not my intention David, but as a beginner you need to start with the essential basics. Oh, how boring is that I hear, well it doesn't have to be. Basic but necessary principles should be learnt before venturing into the deep unknown, these principles aren't difficult to grasp but you do need help in the form of either books or any of the other things available out there in order to learn them, and then, and only then will you be able to proceed with your goal with more confidence. So, what are these basic principles? - How to apply washes, both graduated and flat washes, so important, this is the backbone of the painting and can't be skipped over. How to establish an eye level and work from that using perspective, you do need this discipline, we all do in order to establish a solid and realistic looking composition. Then light and shade with shadows, start by drawing simple objects like an egg or a box etc. I suppose that I could go on and on, but this will only daunt you and may have an adverse effect which is not the idea. None of the disciplines that I've talked about are difficult, but you will need to follow a set structure, one that's tried and tested, and you will need some guidance, it's all out there available so why not use it, believe me, it will help you in your pursuit of painting in watercolour. Just one final point, and this is a personal thing, but you don't need expensive and fancy kit, but you do need some good brushes, I also like the Sceptre Gold range and also the Dalon, three are all you need initially, and you will probably never use more than five. I use old plates, well, sometimes new ones to mix on, small ramekins for making up large washes, anything goes, a piece of MDF with some books under it for a board. You can have the best and the most expensive kit but it ain't going to make a damn bit of difference to you work, believe me, I've been there. I hope that this helps and if you want any other information please contact me.

Just to add, and to make things more interesting for you, Once you have painted say, a graduated sky, try dropping a few brush strokes of say an earth colour or whatever to form a low horizon, but do this when the paper is still damp, and watch the amazing results. Then I think you could go on to paint the Salisbury scene, all in one take mind you, throwing caution to the wind, all you can ruin is a piece of paper. Don't try matching exact colours with the photo, it's not necessary and not trying to copy every bit of detail, it just won't gel, just do your own take on it, and remember, no sharp detail in the middle distance, if fact it's better without detail anywhere.

No pressure, David. We're all watching you like hawks.....