Watercolor Pencil Class

I'm taking a class online with Kate Johnson, who is truly a wonderful teacher, and a really talented artist. This is the second class I've been in with her, and it's really good. There is a spirit of friendly competition and generous sharing among the students, and Kate is quick to answer questions, offer suggestions and gives oodles of information. Well worth the cost (which is so reasonable.) Anyway, all that said, after a week of playing around with my various brands of watercolor pencils, and having nothing much to show for the time spent, I figured out that if it's basically a "watercolor" you need to abide by some of the "watercolor" rules. The (my, I should say) first one being, that you can get by with second rate paint, second rate brushes, but don't skimp on your paper! I got out some decent watercolor paper, and was pleased enough with the results to post it.

This one has several layers of pencil on it. I hatched in a color, and then wet it down. Let that area dry while I was working on another. Then as each section dried, I went in with another coat of color. The mango isn't exactly as I want it to be, but once it's good and dry, I can maybe go back into it. So, okay, why pencil when you can use real watercolors? Maybe it's as casual as the comfort of a pencil in your hand, or maybe because there is more control here, and they are fun to use. I'm still exploring that question. Let you know if I figure out something concrete.