This is a watercolor and mixed media painting on paper, mounted on board and with a wax finish instead of varnish. I did record the whole process to make a time lapse video that you can see at the end of this post, here is a description of the steps I took.

This is not the usual way to proceed but I like to mount my paper on the board before starting to paint, most artists will mount the finish painting. I like painting on the hard surface of the paper mounted on the board. I did make my drawing and even saved some white with masking fluid before mounting the paper.

To see a detailed description of how to mount paper on board, see that post: Mounting watercolor paper on board

When the paper is dry, I can cut the edges with a cutter. After my painting is finished I will send the edges to have perfectly clean edges.

I am painting the grass and trees, mixing colors wet in wet with a mix of Lemon yellow, cadmium yellow, hooker green and Cyan Blue.

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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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.

I am then painting the trees trunks with a mix of blues.

Then I am painting around the foliage and the trees trunks a darker background.

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.

Holbein Acryla Gouache, 152 Chinese White, 20 ml Acryla Designer Gouache is a fast-drying, opaque acrylic based watercolor paint. It’s water soluble while wet, and water-resistant, matte and opaque, even over dark surfaces. Great for grounds and layering.

On top of that dark background, I will use a semi transparent mix of white gouache and water to add a few more trunks and branches in the background.

I then take off all the masking fluid with an eraser, and will soften most edges with a stiff brush and water. I am painting the bench with Yarka watercolor English red.

Time to splash! I am spattering with watercolors, white gouache, water… and let the paint move on the painting.

I noticed that wax can remove a bit of the gouache on the paper, so to avoid that issue I am spraying some workable fixative n the painting before applying the wax.

Then I can spread the wax with a soft piece of fabric, once it is dry I will buff it to make it a bit shiny.

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.

Dorland’s Wax Medium Adds translucency to oil paints, making them more brilliant. Also used as a final coat on dry paintings, metal sculpture, wood carvings, and antiques. May buff to gloss finish. Thins with turpentine.