First, I sketch out the painting.

Remember in watercolor you're just sketching quickly.

Add too much detail and you'll have a boring painting!

2B Pencil

The base of this painting is done in one wash.

I use a ton of quinacridone gold in light values and in dark.

It's very important that at this stage the dog's edges blur into the shadows. That will connect them later on.

I also want to make certain the highlights remain crisp white.

On any subject, it's easier to leave more white than to try to get it back.

Azo Yellow
Cobalt Blue
Pthalo Blue
Quinacridone Red
Quinacridone Gold
Burnt Sienna
Pthalo Green

I add details and darken the shadows in this wash.

The dog's face is carefully painted. I'm still being cautious over whites.

I decide the little tree stump going straight up is way too distracting so I break it up and change some angles, redirecting the viewer's eye back into the painting.

Here I blur some more details that were too distracting and add others where needed. The tree in the upper section gets blurred a bit.

Azo Yellow
Cobalt Blue
Pthalo Blue
Quinacridone Red
Quinacridone Gold
Burnt Sienna
Pthalo Green

Final Painting!

Just refining and redirecting. I want the dog's face to be very clear.