my first ever - help! by Don Jenkins

Stick with watercolour! But then I am someone who only paints in watercolour as I love the medium so much. I love it's special properties and it's riskiness that often produces startling and beautiful results (if you are lucky!). I think you look like you are going to have the knack of handling watercolour as your painting is clean and fresh and you have got a nice variety in shade and tone. For a very first painting, I think you should be very pleased with the result and it has set you solidly on the path to an exciting artistic life.

Well done. I particularly like the people and their reflections. But I would give acrylics a go as they can be used either diluted as watercolours or thickly.

Try it all!

Yes that's a smashing start Don and as said try them all. Many many start with watercolour and it is the most difficult to master, but try when you can (afford) other media. I don't know the painting you have copied and nothing wrong with that either, but the perspective seems horribly wrong. I will check him out if found. Your touch seems Ok.

The colour and the movement caught my eye! Well done! Keep going, but you must be aware that you will never feel 100% satisfied with what you do . No artist does! So many types of paint to try out, so little time!! Just have loads of fun finding out Don :)

I'd say stick with watercolour, at least for now, when you get it right it's magic as it seems to paint itself! If this is a first attempt it's very good but the more you try and the more you fail [ and you will, we all do!] the more you get to know about the medium the more you'll love it - but that's just my opinion!!

Is that a Liverpool skyline I see ? . I don't know this painter so cannot comment on your rendition. It is useful to paint your own stuff from your own observation. Still lifes or looking out of your window, or your partner asleep in front of the telly...the dog ...the cat. But your own observe. Watercolour is the most difficult medium to use. Acrylics are fun then a step to oils...ink, pencil , coloured pencil. So much fun. You have made a start.... Have a play and look , look ,look . Enjoy.

I agree with Debs - stick to the medium you have started with until you have gained some mastery of it. Diversifying is fine but in the beginning it can lead to being a jack of all trades and master of none. When I started painting, some 8 years ago now, I copied a lot of work of artists whom I admired and I learned a lot that way as you are painting through the mind of someone who knows how to make the right decisions and you begin to appreciate how they have put their painting together. As I came to painting late in my life, I felt that taking a few short cuts to gaining knowledge and experience was a wise thing to do. If I had started out in my 20's, I would have adopted a different approach. My advice is to take all the advice offered and sift through it and use the bits that you think will help you progress and leave the rest.

Thea knows, take heed. You are getting a great reaction.

You have switched on the ignition and now enjoy the journey. Try every medium you can afford and don't be put off by making mistakes. Good luck and enjoy.

Well done. A very good first go, much better than mine. Keep up the good work.

A good start although perhaps the pink trees are a bit heavy. More worrying is the fact that you have included your email. I suggest you remove it for safety's sake. I look forward to seeing your next posting.

Ps the sky above the buildings is rather good.