Makaphile Moyane

What compelled me to choose this artwork was the details it had. The shell of the turtle really had a beautiful design that had a blend of different colours, such as browns, greens, and white. The overall detail of the turtle, even its spots, and the peaceful, loose watercolour blue background really looked peaceful, and it’s also that tranquil feeling that made me feel drawn to it. The most difficult effect to recreate was the shell. Trying to create the white strokes and make the colours blend well was tricky. I used the wet-on-wet watercolour technique to try and make the colours blend well with each other. What I’m most proud of is, in fact, the shell. Although it doesn’t look like the original artwork, I love how I was able to blend the colours well to create a smooth transition from light to dark hues of white, peach, green, and brown. What I can improve next time is creating contrast. I feel like once I learn how to not be afraid of creating more contrast, it would have looked more realistic. Overall, learning to experiment and mix a lot of colours was fun and a creative learning curve.