Watercolor Pencil/Watercolor WIP

Today I took progress shots of the sketch I was working on, with watercolor pencils and watercolor on top...sorry for the changing light in these and having to adjust the photos weirdly so you can see them. First I did a sketch with a very light purple pencil...which is a nice choice as it will all but wash away later if I make a lot of searching lines and such.And here I have blocked in the stripes with a golden ochre pencil.Then I layered more pencil on top, varying shading and colors to get vibrancy and texture in the stripes.
Then I wet on top with watercolor, adjusting colors, adding more shadow and background, and adding a few details.
I like this process more than just using pure pencil or pure watercolor...the pencil allows a lot of "drawing" and also leaves lines and texture under the watercolor, and the watercolor allows more vibrancy and nice washes.

Mini Watercolor Pencil/Watercolor Series

This last weekend, I went to the zoo and was able to do a sketch. The composition wasn't my usual, but since they had just fed the zebras at their trough, I didn't have much of a choice...and I ended up really liking it.
A couple of days later, I did another sketch with watercolor pencils and watercolor on top...it was an off day and I was very dissatisfied.
So the next day I decided to do a mini-series with the same approach and palette...

And the next day continued the series. I will do at least a few more of these before possibly moving on, who knows...but I think I'm getting somewhere, I feel the need to practice and gain more consistency with what I do in water media.

Three Plein Airs

All watercolor in my pocket Moleskine.