I Followed This Watercolor Portrait Advice for 6 Years Before It Finally Clicked

There's painting advice that sounds right when you first hear it. And then there's the kind that takes 6 years of actual painting before it finally makes sense in your hands. This video is about the second kind. I've been painting watercolor portraits for over 6 years, and there are 5 things I was technically "following" the whole time — but not really understanding until much later. This is not a beginner video. If you're already painting portraits and something still isn't clicking, this might be why. What I cover: — Painting shapes, not details (I understood this intellectually for years before I actually felt it) — Starting with chaos instead of control — Working flat, then vertical — using gravity as a tool, not fighting it — Why shadows don't always read as cool or blue — Why not everything needs to be finished — and how I use that intentionally now I would say the real thread connecting all five of these is self-knowledge. Technique is part of it — but so is understanding how you specifically think and see. Which of these 5 took you the longest to actually internalize? Tell me in the comments — I read all of them and I'd genuinely like to know. Mentioned: ✨I Tested 3 Blues on the Same Portrait Phthalo Green vs Red vs Ultramarine:    • I Tested 3 Blues on the Same Portrait Phth...   ✨Skillshare class: Watercolor for Beginners: Minimal Japanese Stones https://skl.sh/3Ihs1SG ✨On my series of work "I was once, too, a child": https://www.miwagardner.com/blog/i-wa... ✨Blog on 8 visual approaches: https://www.miwagardner.com/blog/the-... ✨Quang Ho: https://www.quangho.com/ ✨Podcast Episode: https://share.google/moUW5oJUCNvX3Mvc6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🫧Connect✨ Website → https://www.MiwaGardner.com Podcast → https://pod.link/1764257886 Instagram →   / miwagardner_art   Pinterest →   / miwagardner   Newsletter → https://www.miwagardner.com/subscribe Business inquiries → [email protected] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ART SUPPLIES 🎒 My Full Art Supply List: https://tinyurl.com/esmppz56 📄 Paper I Often Use (Baohong-made, hot press alternative): https://go.meedenart.com/4rCg1NG Everything I tested in this video is linked above. Some links are affiliate — no extra cost to you, and it helps me keep making honest reviews:)