Bringing the Everyday to Life

I am posting this demonstration I did of a farm in Spring City, UT.  I did this demonstration for a watercolor class I am teaching this month and for a woman's organization in Park City, UT.  It was a lot of fun demonstrating, but I also found it very difficult.  It is hard to use both sides of your brain at the same time.  I will first show the photo that I got my inspiration from for this painting.  My painting will not look exactly like the picture and I am not trying to....

From this photo, I did a quick value sketch (no longer than 10min) to plan my composition and decide where my darks and lights will be.  I then make a light drawing on my paper (again spending no longer than 10min).  The next image shows the first wash I do.  I only leave a couple of whites, the rest of the colors will set the tone and serve as a light under painting.  This step is definitely the most fun. 

First Wash

I then start to add my middle values.  The house is starting to take form, but the painting is still very flat.  More form and depth will come when I add the darks.  I let a lot of the colors mix and bleed on the paper.  You get a lot more interesting effects doing this than mixing everything on your palette.  As I am getting darker, my paint is also getting thicker. 

Middle Values

Now I have added the darks to the painting.  You can see how the illusion of depth is now created and the trees have more form.  The last thing I will add is detail and the painting will be finished.

Dark Values

Finished painting

Spring City Farm

Watercolor 10" x 14"

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