I made two paintings from the same picture, one watercolor on paper and one mixed media on canvas. I painted those from a picture I took in Tofino (British Columbia- Canada) and I liked it because I found the composition with the boards very interesting, it had rhythm and variety.

I thought it could be interesting to show the process of the two paintings in parallel, although I have less pictures for the watercolor because I kind of got caught painting and forgot about the pictures. Anyway the watercolor version was much faster and much direct to paint.
The watercolor paintings often have an interesting luminosity that might come from the fact that the white of the paper is shining through the colors. It is difficult to reproduce that effect with a mixed media painting, although I really like the complexity of colors and edges on the mixed media version, that you don’t find in the watercolor version.

First version, Watercolor on paper:

My drawing, pencil on paper.I just drew a few outlines for the main shapes.

Adding some masking fluid to preserve the white of the paper.

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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.

Adding some washes of color, painting colors from light to dark and adding a few layers where the colors are darker.

The finished painting, Tofino surfers, watercolor on paper

Second version, Mixed media on canvas:

My drawing, pencil on pre-gessoed canvas.

I am painting with acrylics, sometimes in washes, sometimes in a thick manner.

I am using bright colors as an under-layer. The bright colors won’t show completely on the finished painting but they will still show in places and along the edges.

I am choosing colors that are complementary to my local final colors to paint the next layer.

I go on adding layers of acrylic.

Then I start adding colors that I see as undertones of the final color.

A layer of white mixed with medium for the sky so some of the color underneath is still visible.

Here I found that my colors are too uniform so I want to scrub some off. I start spraying with alcohol.

Here I scrubbed some painting off with a sponge.

Next, I am adding some white mixed with medium.

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Liquitex Acrylic Mediums Gel mediums are ideal for extending a heavy body paint, to create impasto, relief, or sculptural effects. – Gel Medium, Gloss

I continue adding layers of colors with acrylic.

Then, I am defining the shapes with local color.

Another stage of scrubbing off.

Then I start adding some accents of colors, with oil pastels, adding more definition and working on edges

I keep adding colors along the edges.

A detail of the faces where I added some details for a better definition.

My painting process involves adding and removing layers of paint gradually.

Then I mix some white pigment with a wax encaustic medium.

I add the white encaustic paint in different areas of the painting

A detail of the finished painting.

The finished painting: Tofino surfers, mixed media on canvas