Season 18 Recap

Season 18 surprised me with how consistently good it was. Not every painting was a 10, but there weren’t any real dips either. I was expecting to feel tired by episode 13. Instead I felt like I was just getting started.

Favorite: Rippling Waters (E13) The composition was simple but every element knew its job. This felt like the painting where everything I’d been learning actually clicked into place. It’s not the most ambitious thing I did all season, but it’s the most confident.

Least Favorite: Double Oval Stream (E10) I overcrowded the background and I knew it while I was painting it but I did it anyway. The double-oval framing was nice but all that foliage in the back was fighting for attention instead of supporting the tree. Bob’s composition was smart, my execution was busy.

Learned the Most From: Enchanted Forest (E11) This one came right after Double Oval and I think I was listening to my own critique. The path creates hierarchy for sure. That pink path pulling through the center, that’s the difference between a painting that works and one that feels crowded.

Season 18 taught me that restraint and confidence aren’t the same thing, but they look really similar when they’re both working.