Evolution of an Artist #2...Preparation

Evolution of an Artist #2How do I create a painting?  Do I go into the studio, gather my supplies, and begin?  No.
My projects start with:   a need...whether to learn, to experience, to explore. I spent two and a half years painting feather, fur, and wood subjects, mainly because I wanted a realistic look on birds and animals and wasn't sure how to paint these.  It was a fun time.

I plan my paintings with a value sketch and pay attention to where I "would like" my light values to be...I say this this because watercolor painting has a mind of it's own and no matter how skillfully I plan...well, it's doesn't always happen.  I DO know that without a plan I would get inconsistent and uncontrolled outcomes.  Okay:  I'm a control freak. I've said it!  
Take a look at some of my planning sketches for a better idea of what I'm talking about.

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Here's an example of taking a photo (I still don't know what that interesting piece of Hawaiian wood is called), adding a  bird focal point, and adjusting values to make it view better.  I plan all this up front so when I start to paint, I can paint deliberately.  You like?

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I wanted to paint four different seasons of birds and designed the backgrounds all to be somewhat consistent, thinking this would tie them all together.  The bird is the focal point and I planned the values accordingly.

So planning is a strong tool in my artistic arsenal.  At this point I was becoming more confidant in my watercolor skills. 
Next week I'll show and tell you about adding more elements of art into  my paintings.  Hmmm.... what's that?
Thank you for your continued interest.
Patrice