Estuary at KVI Part Two

Last time I showed you how I prepare to do a small water color sketch in the studio, inspired by a photo. Now to splash on the color!

1. Apply the lightest colors first. Usually this means the sky, but....well....I forgot the sky until last this time!

Add lightest colors first

It helps to paint your lightest colors bigger than they will be in the finished painting. You will define their shapes when you add the darks. Remember: you can always paint a darker color over a lighter one, but with watercolor, you cannot paint light over dark. You get mud.

Here I have used Alizarin Crimson and New Gamboge for the fall colors. The green is New Gamboge and Permanent Green.

Use darker colors to give shape to the lighter areas

2. Now  add the darker colors. The dark green is New Gamboge and Permanent Green or Indigo Blue. In landscape, the colors are brighter and the contrasts in light and dark are more intense closer to you. I paint them before moving my brush to areas further away, as the strokes get lighter before the brush needs to be dipped in paint again.

3. Add the darkest shadows and the details. Here I mixed in some burnt Umber with the New Gamboge and Indigo Blue for a lovely green black. Black or brown pen on the branches and a little on the shoreline sharpens the detail and focuses the eye.

This came out rather nice, I think!