THURSDAY W I P

A friend who paints with me regularly was making fun of my very slow progress on these leaves . . . until . . .  she began a painting of a cactus.

Ah ha - - - she found out that, even though you set out to work in one area, you notice something that bothers you in another area, so you go over there to paint, then you realize you didn't paint the area  you thought you should paint, so you go back there, until you realize another area on the other side of the painting needs help . . . . well, you get the idea!

And, sometimes, you see a spot that needs "help", you get paint on your brush - and then find yourself sitting with your brush mid-air, having no idea where you are supposed to put the paint that is on your brush!!!

It's not as cut and dried as it looks!!!  Haha.

I think it may be done - or else I'm just done looking at it!

THURSDAY W I P

Gradually  more color is added to show placement of the leaves - above and below each other.

THURSDAY W I P

Moving slowly around the painting, I'm gradually adding color to the leaves.

THURSDAY W I P

This painting is from a photo taken a few years ago out my living room window.  The sun was hitting the branches of the oak tree, making them glow.  Not sure I will be able to capture that completely, but here goes!

First I traced the photo (I know, cheating . . . ) but - then it took me several hours to carefully compare the photo to the tracing, adding and erasing lines as necessary, until I had all of the leaves.

Then I added the blue sky and greens of possible leaves in the background.

And, by the way, the paper used here is a print paper, not technically a watercolor paper.  It has the properties of hot press w/c paper, and is acid free.  Sometimes I like to use different papers, just to try them out.