Frog watercolor progression

About a hundred years ago, when I was working on my art degree, I had to take a watercolor class. It wasn't my favorite at the time and I haven't messed with it over the years. But recently I decided to give it another go, to incorporate into my children's book illustrations.

This is more practice while I try to get the hang of it. Which is mostly just trying not to be a control freak over what it does.

Click to enlarge.

 I tossed salt in the blue area. I saw it on someone else's watercolor and it looked cool. On mine... eh.

I wish I had left the leaf simple and not added the veins.

So far, watercolor seems 50% fun and 50% what-the-hell-is-happening??

In this last step I opened the photo in GIMP (like PhotoShop but without the price tag), added light to the eyes, and deeper shadows, adjusted the levels for brighter brights. Maybe too much, I may back that down a little after I see a print.

Here's the original little guy. Mine turned out kinda chubby.

Here are the journals. Softcover on Amazon. Spiral and hardcover on Redbubble.