It feels really good to finish something that I have wanted to do for a long time – paint a pool. I have loved pools since I was a little kid, especially outdoor pools. I grew up in a beach town (I know poor me) and our local pool was an indoor pool. I was a swimmer and occasionally during the Summer we would go to a swim meet at an outdoor pool. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
My kids are lucky enough, during the Summer, to have practice and all their swim meets at outdoor pools. Our pool even has a high dive. Spoiled kids! During the Summer, while I watch my kids practice I always think about painting the pool and the swimmers. I’ve taken pictures, started, sketched, but I always struggle early on and never finish.
Last Saturday we were at a Championship swim meet at an indoor pool and I was sitting high up in the bleachers. I took this photo. I thought it was so cool how the pool was crowded with swimmers warming up. I posted it on Instagram and wrote “I’d love to paint this!”
Yesterday I gave it a try. I realized that if I did the bodies first and painted the blue over parts of the body, that part would look like it was underneath the water.
In this first version I didn’t like that you couldn’t see one of the lane lines (the kids are sitting on it in the photo). The lanes were also uneven. And once I added the ink, I didn’t like it at all.
I decided to try again. I see my willingness to “try again” as growth as an artist. I used to sit down and expect to get it right the first time. Can you imagine if a photographer only took one photo! I now know that I need to warm up, try things out, not get discourage, and keep working and trying.
I purposely kept things simple without a lot of detail. Both my sons liked my first attempt better! But I like the second one. I’m hoping to do more of these, now that I finally got started!
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That is soooooo cooool! I love your poooool! And it’s fun seeing your process.
Thank you :). I’m excited to paint more pools. I’ll have to dig through my photos!
Nice watercolor — sellable! Good memories!
Thank you Katie 🙂
Gosh I love both of them, but think I have to agree with you that the second version is a better piece (isn’t it always?) I find this is a great way to make a lot of progress really quickly. I particularly love the effect of seeing the bodies under the water, sooo hard, but you nailed it! I am dreaming of the day when my children are old enough to do things unaided and I get that extra sketching time 😉
Thank you! I spent several Summers holding my youngest up in the big pool bc the don’t allow floaties. The first Summer that I could sit in my chair was weird and heaven!
I really like it… makes me want to find a pool. The water is a great color and I think you did a great job of creating feel of the people’s movement under the water.
Thank you! After hesitating for so long I was amazed at how a little blue over part of the body would put that part under water.
Love how you captured the movement of the bodies in the water…no simple feat. Love it!
Thank you 🙂
I think this one is brilliant! Thank you for sharing the whole process – learned something new. K.
That’s great, I’m so glad! And thank you!
Use to live close to pool. I really like your picture… It’s awesome that you showed the steps and the process of watercolor painting. Thanks for sharing… This is pretty cool…
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed seeing the steps. 🙂
Your welcome!! If you want you can follow me on my craft journey… I love the arts… 🙂