Trumpet Season

Trumpet Season
8" x 8" watercolor
on Fluid watercolor paper

It's trumpet vine season out here in northern California, and I so love these bountiful vines. 

I did a color study from a photo I took in my Speedball sketchbook. It's a lovely hardback, spiral-bound 8" x 8" book with Fluid watercolor paper, which means it handles ink nicely, along with the w/c paints. Although in this case I used no ink--it seemed important to just paint directly, with no drawing in ink or even pencil. 

Then I shifted to a "real" painting on Arches 100% cotton cold press paper. I made a sketch in pencil. Then, as is not always but often the case when I shift out of the sketchbook, I clutched. Tightened up. Over-applied paint. Used too many layers. Got too dark in areas and then tried to lift out the darkness. And on and on. 

Here's what I'm talking about, in case you don't believe me: 

Trumpet Season2
8" x 8" watercolor
on Arches 100% cotton watercolor paper

Next up: the plan is to:

--Go back to a direct approach (no drawing) on a piece of Arches hot press paper. 

--Use a slightly different palette. Will keep Quin Rose, Quin Coral, Opera Pink, Lemon Yellow, and Cobalt Blue. But no Prussian Blue this time. Instead, French Ultramarine. 

--NOT try to represent the photograph realistically, even though it is a darned good one: