I have been incorporating  zentangle patterns and various designs into my paintings for some time now and this is a direction I am continuing to explore. I wanted to paint a quite large forest triptych while integrating some patterns that would be visible from close but less obvious from a distance as too not overpower the general design of the picture.

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Here are the steps I took to paint mixed media zentangle trees:

Making you r drawing and preserving some whites areas with masking fluid

I started by a rough outline of the tree shapes with pencil on canvas.. Masking fluid works well on canvas but will lift off any watercolor that was previously painted. As I want most of my highlights white, this is not an issue in this case.

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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.

Painting the foliage wet into wet with watercolor on canvas

I start by painting the background with watercolors. wet in wet, letting the different shades of yellow and green mix on the canvas.

Painting the trees by layering acrylic inks

For the trees trunks, I want to achieve rich and broken colors by layering primaries. This is difficult to do with watercolors on canvas as they will lift off easily, so I switch to fluid acrylic inks. My first layer is a lemon yellow.

The next layer is red, still painted with liquid acrylics. Depending on the final shade I want on the trunk, I paint a different number of layers to make it darker.

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Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Water-Resistant Artists Ink FW Artists Ink is an acrylic-based, pigmented, water-resistant ink in a range of 38 colors, all of which have either a three-star or four-star rating for permanence. FW Artists Inks work well with airbrushes, dip pens, technical pens and brushes. – Primary Colors Set

The next layer I am painting is blue.

I keep on adding layers until I am satisfied with the resulting color.

Making a very light glaze with white acrylic and medium, I am lightening some of the trees in the background to have them recede . The mix is whiter when wet and just applied than when dried.

Adding the zentangle patterns to the trees

When everything has dried, I start drawing designs on the canvas, I am drawing a different design for each tree. Use a marker that is acide free and light-fast if you want your painting to be archival.

When the background color is light I choose a light design.

You can look at my Pinterest board for zentangle patterns inspirations

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.

Copic Original Markers There’s nothing like the Copic double-ended marker for expert blending, painting, and tone control. Use them for fine art projects, calligraphy, and more. The broad nib offers coverage for larger areas. For detailed work, flip over to the fine nib.

When the background color is darker I am choosing a design with more black.

I am drawing a variety of designs.

Designs on tree trunks detail.

Embroidered Forest
Watercolor, acrylic and markers on canvas.
24 x 72 inches