Watercolour pencil painting of Galahad, in Camelot times.

I had a reference for the horse and the background. It was the rider/knight and the pose with the sword that I changed. My reference was blurry which I think didn’t really help. I wanted a somewhat blurry, fantasy background. Sort of like he’s riding and that’s why the details can’t really be seen. However, I don’t feel like I achieved that. I think it’s just a mess of colour, and the ‘glaze’ I tried to add at the bottom for the dust the horse was kicking up didn’t work at all.

I can see far more of the paper texture than I am comfortable with. I don’t know if that means I didn’t use enough pigment or if it’s just this paper. It’s a new watercolour pad and I think it’s cold-press (I usually use hot-press which is smoother).

He looks rather stiff and unnatural and his torso isn’t correct. I don’t know if that’s in the shaping or in the shadows meaning it doesn’t look like it has form. I definitely think I need to lay more pigment down, and possibly use less water. I’m still learning the balance.