New Agave Painting

For a couple of years I've been using up my stock of Daniel Smith watercolor paints.  Recently I started using Dick Blick paints again as they're more affordable.  Today I started a new agave painting using Pthalo Blue, Permanent Alizarin Crimson and Lemon Yellow from Blick.  Here is the underpainting:

Lemon Yellow and Alizarin to help with the different color variations in the background to foreground

The Pthalo Blue isn't nearly as intense as Daniel Smith's version, making the vibrant greens difficult to mix

Moving from yellow/greens down the paper to bluer greens with violet shadows

Finally starting to feel in my groove and getting somewhere with this

When the masque is removed and the thorns are ready to paint, this will come alive!  I hope.  In the meantime, I am thinking I'd better stick with the Daniel Smith paints.  Rats!