These paintings are watercolor on canvas. I paint the primed canvas (linen or cotton coated with an acrylic gesso, ready for oil or acrylic paint) with an absorbent ground. The ground looks like thick, chalky, white paint, but allows the surface to accept the watercolor pigment.
I painted three birds into the picture. I think the top most “bird” is actually a spot of dirt on the scanner glass. I looked for him after I saw the scanned picture, but he had already flown away!
After I am finished, I let the watercolor dry and then spray the canvas with a clear acrylic finish. These are just the front panels. The canvas wraps around the stretcher bars, so the sides are painted, too. On my computer screen these are larger than life-size!
http://wp.me/a2dwKf-1yv
WHEW! Sorry! http://wp.me/a2dwKf-1yw
Ha! The fourth bird is perfect, high and small to make him look like a straggler, and at a more careening angle, to add motion. Great job, fourth bird! 😉
Thanks so much for your input. My comfort zone when I get started again after a long hiatus is too start small. These are 2 ‘ by 3″ and I really like them but sad that all my work always looks like illustrations and not reality like yours. I need to loosen up. http://wp.me/a2dwKf-1yx
May I gently push you out of that comfort zone? Try painting your next picture on a piece of paper that is 8″ x 10″ or 9″ x 12″. It’s actually easier to paint larger! Use a no. 12 round (14 or 10 is okay, just a bigger brush) for as long as you can. Switch to a smaller brush only for the fine details at the end. Then post the results for us to see!
Ok I will, I have all that you suggest and have painted acrylic large pieces but with watercolor I am super detailed TOO detailed, I will do it this week…. Thank you!