Forest Solitude

"Here is one of my attempts to help me loosen up my techniques, which is hard when you love control and detail as I do. To change things up even more, I chose a very different combination of colors for my limited palette this time. Most often I use very transparent hues which mix to vibrant shades. This time I used Golden QoR watercolors which are semi-opaque to opaque. My palette included Naples Yellow, Venetian Red, Cobalt Teal, and Paynes Gray. I applied the first three colors randomly to the small square white Aquabord panel, allow the colors to flow and mingle. I had no pre-conceived notion of what subject I'd be painting.

Once the colors dried, I let the panel inspired me. I decided to create an imaginery scene, drawing from my love of the forests which surround my home and the beautiful streams in the nearby Cherokee National Forest. This is when I added Paynes Gray to my palette. It is a very dark blue which would allow me to add the darkest values while complimenting the other three colors.

I added the same colors to my panel, creating the appearance of a stream flowing toward the viewer among the tall trees, with lots of rocks along the shore. The colors are not realistic, but if the shapes and the values are right you can use any colors to create a realistic scene. I softly blended the water area of the foreground, reflecting the colors above. Some tree trunks were painted in, others were made by lifting the color off the clay surface. I spattered colors in the area on the right, retaining the abstract look of the original paint application in that area.

I used scratching tools to reveal the white highlights on the rocks, water, and some sunlit branches. Once the white clay is revealed by scratching off the paint, these areas can be softened and values adjusted by re-wetting and/or repainting. Enjoy the zen!"