In parts one and two of this we started with a sketch using a pencil then corrected our outlines until we were happy with them, then we went over the pencil markings with a decent quality felt-tip pen. After that the fun part begins with our paints as we try to stay in the lines. Just as I mentioned before you needn't worry too much about little mistakes that we make because we can always paint over them and these are watercolors for a reason: They are very forgiving.
In the last portion we are simply putting the finishing touches on our scene and this is where we blend certain segments together and will even go back in with our felt-tip pen to reclarify any borders that we may have accidentally painted over during phase 2.
one thing that I like to do with my own paintings and also encourage my students to do at this point is to go back in towards then end and put in what I refer to as "shadowing" to give our scene a 3D effect of sorts. Just imagine where the shadows might be based on the surroundings and find a darker version of the color that you already used to create the illusion of shadows. It might take a little bit of practice but this is something that I feel can really make a good piece great! This is probably the part where you need to be the most careful because since we are putting darker paint on top of lighter paint, there isn't going to be much opportunity for corrections. I guess it is important to remember to not try to overdo it. Sometimes less is more. If you are not sure you want to put something somewhere it can be better to just not do it.
However, I will return to what I always say about our "happy little mistakes" and to remember that some of the greatest painters of all time were not pleased with their own work and it took the eyes of another person to appreciate their genius. Sometimes you "mistakes" can be what makes your work unique and special. At the end of it all this is supposed to be a pleasant experience and that is what is most important of all.
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