Dealing with the problem - my own solution - and a glass of wine!

OK, so I'm still practising the method we will be using in Richard McKinley's workshop - a watercolor underpainting on white Kitty Wallis.  I have been having this problem with the paint being pale, dry and not drippy like I've seen pictures of him do.  Maybe it is because the brushes I'm using don't hold a lot of water/paint.  But you have to use old beat-up synthetic brushes because the sanded surface will eat your delicate and expensive watercolor brushes.  So - why not do something different than him????? 

Instead of having the paper upright on the easle, I laid it down on the table.  Now the paint stayed put in a nice juicy wet area.  When I wanted it to drip, I tilted the paper.  Then I laid it back down.  When the sky was just about dry, I painted the tree trunks nice and juicy wet.  Then I blew the paint outward to make the branches.  No matter that there are too many - I can pastel over the ones I don't want.

So here is the beginning of pastel overlay.  I think I've had a little too much wine with dinner tonight!  So I'm going to stop right now!  It's OK that it makes me loose - it is just the "sleepiness" might make me sloppy.