Having had a career in aeronautical
engineering and computer system design I had always been involved in, and felt
comfortable with, things technical. So when I retired I decided
to challenge myself and put the other half of my brain to use. In 1999 I attended 10 weekly classes to learn pen
and
ink techniques for drawing portraits, and in 2006, with my wife's
persistent encouragement, I took weekly classes that lasted a little
over a year. These classes, together with videos and books by
other watercolor artists gave me the confidence to dabble in it.