Saturday, March 3, 2012

Another Treescape

"Treescape 02", 22" x 30" watercolor on paper


Painting with watercolor has always been my happy place and it had been a while since my paints were out. I get side tracked at times, working toward the next "winning" piece rather than focusing on just having fun and today was time for play. I love using tape as a resist, creating tree impressions that are layered with watercolor washes. At one point I felt like I used too much water and the paint was not as vibrant as it could have been so tomorrow I may do the same thing again, trying to remember to use less water.


Once the tape is down I add paint freely, it takes several layers of color in order to create depth.


Next, I took off some of the tape then added more wash color. I did not want the trees to all look like they had the same amount of paint.


At this point I thought the painting could have been complete because I really liked the linear qualities of the white, but then I decided to add even more wash color. I must have been thinking about my new purple duvet cover when I picked color today... this painting compliments my bedroom perfectly!

5 comments:

  1. I love this linear composition! The process you shared made me pick up my colors today!What a lovely time you spent on this, adding layer by layer and creating so much of transparency and depth!

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  2. I so love trees...and forests. I think you should hang this over your bed in your purple room. I always love hearing of the processes used too. Oh to be so creative!

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  3. thanks, padmaja. I do these tape resists all the time, it's a great way to focus on the transparent qualities of watercolor paint.

    Sherry, I can't hang this over my bed because I just hung my newly framed (and it looks exquisite in the frame) jumbo sized Treescape from January and I really like having the contrast of the purple duvet with the green earth tones in the painting.

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  4. These look like four different paintings--and I like them all. Love the purple; this looks like great fun. The blue is the tape, right?

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  5. Yep, the blue is from using painter's tape as a resist. I really like the mosaic type effect it leaves after I add wash colors. I just painted another version that was not as successful (will post it later) but this is definitely a fun exercise with watercolor and layering color.

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