Fear ye not, for there is nothing to forgive (yet of course I will do if it will ease your burden)! Even if it was years ago, finding so many lovely, thoughtful, funny and detailed comments would still make me beam like a Hobbit in a mushroom cultivation.

And now I am afraid I have to tear the veil and reveal myself as the bloody dilettante I am. Regarding water colours, would you please move over and let me climb onto your horse? For that is exactly how I feel about them! XD Maybe slowly, very slowly they grant me a bit of insight, but most of my works remain an attempt to tip the number generator.

At least I can add a little something to the shadow issue, if ony because I recently read a book about the using of water colours. According to the author shadows tend to be blue (or blueish), not always, but very often. I think one could mix it with the other colours to “cool them down” (like a bluer green on the underside of a tree crown and more yellow on the top, where the sunlight reflects). Yes, I´m sure it would work. Theoretically…

No masking fluid in here, even though I own a bottle (which leads more or less the same life as yours). I must say I´m a bit suspicious about it for it causes rather hard edges that don´t always fit in. This time I just drew the shafts of light with a pencil and then worked my way around. Needless to say I am still baffled it worked. Normally I partway forget for what reason those obscure pencil lines where made for… XD)

But dearest, do not let the wicked theory discourage you! I´m convinced you have it in you to do so much more! You are definitely blessed with the gift of talent, and if your equipment calls you to duty, do not hesitate! It is in your blood and your brushes know it! :)

I think you uploaded this about 20 years ago…here I am, better late than never? Forgive me!

I hold up my hands in defeat; watercolours have ALWAYS evaded my understanding. I used them at school, I have my own paints here and paper that sit unused…no, that is a lie, they were used once and I’m still boggled by how mixing the paints is supposed to create….colours? Is that what they’re called? What is this instrument? A brush?! It all escapes me; I can just about hold a pencil and draw a line but colour theory and shading and light and perspective and blending of paints are things meant for others and not myself.

In short. I am very jealous of your skill. Argh, look at the shafts of light streaming down from the windows? Did you use masking fluid? (Oh yes, I bought everything…there it is, sitting on the desk in front of me, nice and dusty!) I love the delicate linework and your perfect perspective and argh, shadows are things I just cannot grasp, particularly when choosing what colour to make them. Not black, no, but is it a complimentary colour or just a darker version of the shade already used?! A Rosetta stone for paint, please! This is such a lovely scene, peaceful, yet still full of activity, and the muted colour palette (and I have never been able to spell that correctly and my computer’s dictionary refuses to help) is used so effectively; it’s such a warm scene. Ah, the sweet first proper meeting of these two men, I like that they seem anonymous, they could be any two men of the city, a stable-hand and a servant, or you know, two of the highest ranking nobles in the realms :P Simply lovely!