I really like mounting watercolors on board, I can have the advantages of watercolor, a very fluid way of painting, and then still have a painting that can hang on the wall without frame or glass.

I also quite like the look of varnish on top of watercolor, I think it brings out contrasts and looks very good.

So this is my latest watercolor and mixed media painting on paper, I used traditional watercolors, then a bit of gouache mixed with watercolor and watercolor crayons. Here is a detailed step by step tutorial followed by a time lapse video where you can see the painting process.

I start by making my drawing on the paper and then I mount that paper on the board.

To mount my paper on the board I followed the process explained in that post:Mounting a watercolor painting on a cradled panel board, a step by step tutorial

Once everything had time to dry, I am preserving a few white areas in the trees and also isolated a few grasses with masking fluid so I will be able to paint a background in that grass section of the painting.

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.

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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.

To apply masking fluid, you can use a brush soaked in water and rubbed against a soap.

This is the grass background with wet in wet mixes of green, yellow ocher and burnt umber.

I then work on the trees foliage, leaving space unpainted for the trunks

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.

Yarka St. Petersburg Professional Watercolor Pans Same palette of traditional colors the great masters used a century ago. Liquid-poured means semi-moist pans respond instantly to a wet brush. 24 pans in plastic case. Also individual pans. – Master Set

I am painting the trunks with a mix of brown, blue, orange and red, mixing colors on the paper and then once in a while in the painting process would add a few drips to let the paint move and add interesting textures.

Before removing the masking fluid I sprinkle the painting with water and watercolor paint to add interesting textures.

Then I start taking off the masking fluid.

and painting the grass with a mix of green, yellow, blue, brown

Working on the grass.

The green I used is a mix of Viridian green and either Cadmium lemon or yellow ocher.

Then I want to accentuate the contrast in the grass area by making the background darker and more complex. I scribble on that background with a dark green watercolor pencil being careful not to draw on the grass blades.

Here is a close up of the textures I am building with watercolor pencils.

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.

Derwent Watercolor Pencils These professional-quality, water-soluble pencils offer the freedom to switch from drawing to painting in an instant, with no change in tools. Use them to shade on dry paper, then quickly wash over with brush and water to get a blending effect. – Watercolor Pencil Sets

The last step is to add a few more drips, including some with gouache and then finish removing all the masking fluid in the trees foliage.

Playing in the grass,
watercolor and mixed media on paper, mounted on board
24 x 24 inches