Today's Experiment with Watercolor

Someone put a bee in my bonnet about experimenting!  The last project was fun, and I thought I'd try it again from the beginning, but with a theme in mind.  I like the leaf shapes I did in the last one, so "Fallen Leaves" will be this painting.

Since it is so easy to forget what you did and when - I took several pictures along the way, and I am posting this - kind of - for myself - to document what I did.

First, I wet the paper on both sides, Then I scattered cut-out leaf shapes from rice paper and long strips of cheese cloth, then placed a few garden rocks on.  I poured from little cups, fresh paint mixed with about 10 parts water to paint.  The colors I used were Daniel Smith: Goelith, Quinacrodone Sienna, Hansa Yellow Deep, Diopside Green and Indathrone Blue.  I poured them randomly.  Then I sprayed a few dry areas with a coarse water sprayer bottle.  Then I sprinkled some sand in some places.  I let the colors spread and mingle for a while, but when the yellow area was turning green, I brought out the hairdryer. 

Once dry enough, I pulled off the paper leaves, the gauze, the rocks and dusted off the sand.

Now, I am ready to do more accent stuff to it with pensils and paint.

I am saving the paper leaves, they were pretty themselves, and I may collage them in another work.