I painted these watercolor florals a few months ago. I love both color pallets, which I used - on the left side cold colors: blue and gray, and on the right side, some warm green and pastel rose.
This was done with oil pastels in a technique known as Sgrafitto, as part of a 100 day challenge on Instagram. I scratched the black paint off with a chop stick. Worked like a treat, so I'm planning a bigger piece with that technique.
My favorite way to eliminate the often paralyzing fear of "ruining" "good" paper is to just paint on any and all junk mail that comes into my house. Higher end catalogs are great for this, they don't use slick, thin paper (and even that gets used in collage or as a desk cover for other projects) and they're already bound for you. Just add marks! Carry it with you. Scan the pages you like. Cut it up later for making other art. It's "just" junk mail, so there is literally no pressure. I have HUNDREDS of these type of things and I run across them all the time, forgotten, in some old backpack or purse or drawer and it's a treasure to look through them again, and add new marks, paints and words.
The raven familiar sat atop Florien's head making a mess of his braids. Weaving herself a new nest, she pulled a long strand free from a loooping braid her gleaming beak tucking it into a place that she deemed appropriate. She watched the snowy landscape alert to danger as she worked.
the mist hung heavy over scion's sound its waters lapping at the boats at the dock. Florien paced anxiously waiting to greet his betrothed. He had not slept an anxious knot curling in his stomach. If marrying Emory 'Lyrander' Lorelei was necessary for improving the future of Rekkenmark it is what he would do. He mustered a nervous smile sweeping into a chivalrous bow when Kukta cawed from her perch. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Lorelei. He extended a hand to help her down from the riverboat doing his best to ignore the mistrustful expression on her face.