Watercolor Painting of "Icy River" in Utah
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| This snowy scene is along Clear Creek near Richfield Utah. It was cold, but sunny as the late afternoon rays of sun threw long blue shadows across the smooth snow. I painted this full-sheet watercolor painting in my studio from photos I shot on location. |
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1. Using a full sheet (22 x 30) sheet of Arches Cold Press watercolor paper, I first soaked the paper in water, then stapled it to a stiff backing board. When dry I taped off the edges and roughly sketched in the shapes using a 4H pencil. Re-wetting the bottom half of the paper, I first layed in the lighter blues of the shadows and river, splattering with clear water as the wash began to dry. This creates a little texture in the snow. Next I painted the water using wet-into-wet washes allowing the pigments to mingle on the paper. The technique used in this area is what makes watercolor so unique. Finally I scumble the distant trees and shrubs using dry brush and the texture of the paper to create texture.
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2. Now I go to work on the shrubs, starting to model the shapes using both positive and negative painting techniques. I am also balancing warm and cool colors to keep the painting lively.
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3. I continue to work on the trees and bushes adding realism and detail. I darken some of the snow shadows to bring all the elements into the proper value relationships. While I drew heavily from my photos, I brought in more yellows and reds than were actually present to warm up the painting and make the cool shadows bounce.
"Icy River" |
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