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Painting a forest with watercolor and mixed media : step by step tutorial, following your own path

Painting a forest with watercolor and mixed media : step by step tutorial, following your own path by Sandrine Pelissier
Forest Paintings / Painting / Painting technique / Step by step demonstrations / Watercolor / Watercolor painting basics

Painting a forest with watercolor and mixed media : step by step tutorial, following your own path

drawing and masking fluid on paper

I like to fix the watercolor paper on board before starting to paint that way I stretch it at the same time it is mounted.This is what I did here, before starting a detailed pencil drawing.

I did preserve some white areas with masking fluid.

I did preserve some white areas with masking fluid. I let the masking fluid dry naturally as using a hair dryer would make it very difficult to remove.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

 

Daler-Rowney Masking Fluid

This fluid is used to create striking white highlights or to mask areas for overpainting at a later stage. It forms a fast-drying, water-resistant film on watercolor paper and board, and is easily removed when dry.

painting the lightest areas

I start by painting the lightest areas with a mix of sap green, lemon yellow, yellow ocher  and permanent red.

watercolor palette

My watercolor palette.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

 

Da Vinci Artists’ Permanent Watercolors, 292 Yellow Ochre, 15 ml

Da Vinci paints are exciting, intense, and rated among the best in the world for quality. The paints are permanent, with the highest tinting strength and pigment concentration available, and a creamy consistency for smooth, easy dispersion with water.

Painting the foliage, mixing colors wet in wet.

close up of the colors mixing wet in wet in the foliage.Often I will add a drop of water on wet colors to help the colors move and mix and make abstract patterns.

masking the leaves

To paint the trunks , I am masking the leaves that are overlapping on the trunk areas, so I can use a bigger brush and not worry to much about edges when painting the trunks.

bright colors underpainting

I start painting an under-layer of bright colors, adding Alazarin Crimson and Phtalo blue to my color palette. Looking at my reference picture, I see where the light is more cold or warm and will choose the colors for the under-painting accordingly.

painting the trunks

I then paint the trees trunks with a mix of burnt umber and burnt sienna, painting the bark texture. The under painting is still visible in some areas of the trunk texture.

painting the board walk

I paint the boardwalk with a mix of burnt sienna and Phtalo blue, first on wet paper then on dry paper to add the textures.

splashing with plain water

Time to splash with plain water !

splashes and drips.

and a mix of white china gouache and watercolor. I am adding splashes and drips.

splashing with watercolor water and gouache

I let the colors mix until the paper is dry, removing only a few splashes that I want to take off, with a tissue paper.

painting a forest with watercolor and mixed media

Following your own path
Watercolor and gouache on paper mounted on board
30 x 30 inches

Click on image to purchase Original or Print

Prints available on Fine ArtAmerica

5/5 - (1 vote)

Comments (7)

  1. MONTI Nicole

    Superbe, émouvant !
    Je vois les jeux d’ombre et de lumière du feuillage !
    J’entends le bruit de l’eau et le chant des oiseaux !
    Mes pas foulent les feuilles mortes et les brindilles !
    L’eau claire et fraîche de la rivière étanche ma soif !
    J’hume les moisissures des écorces d’arbres !
    Bref je suis embarquée dans de très belles sensations !
    Bravo
    Amitiés
    Nicole

    1. Merci Nicole, très beau texte! Merveilleux complément pour cette peinture 🙂

  2. Great work and step by guide for talented artist who are in stage of learning. ~ Carolina

    1. Thanks Carolina 🙂

    2. Thanks Atorca, so glad you liked it 🙂

  3. Merci Sylvie 🙂 j’ai quelques peintures dont des arbres à la gallérie Cityscape Art Gallery de North Vancouver (lower Lonsdale) dans l’exposition de groupe : Exquisite Landscapes. Ca reste jusqu’au 9 Mars.
    Si tu as le temps d’aller la voir, nous sommes 5 artistes et le projet était vraiment intéressant, nous avons fait un panorama à 360° avec les paysages de la côte West, les peintures sont reliées entre elles par des lignes intégrées dans les compositions de chaque peinture. C.etait le principe des cadavres exquis appliqué à des paysages.
    https://www.facebook.com/events/121450911363493/?ref=22

    Je vais aussi ouvrir mon studio pour le North Shore Art Crawl le 20 et 21 Avril.
    http://nsartcrawl.ca/

    À bientôt j’espère 🙂

  4. C vraiment tres joli ce que tu fais Sandrine. Tu es tres douee !
    As-tu une expo quelque part avec ces beaux arbres ?
    Au plaisir de te recroiser… cela fait un bail !
    Bises

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