Resized Faint Flush

Originally sketched from the model at a life drawing session, I later redid this drawing using watercolor sticks (which are pure pigment in the shape of a crayon). The sticks work just like watercolor applied with a brush:   when I touched the lines with a damp brush, the colors bled into each other, producing a soft edge. Next I added some orange, red,and black opaque watercolor (gouache) and used a stencil to produce the markings near the forehead.

I was happy with the impressionistic look of the painting and entered it into a local juried show. The result?  It was not accepted. But I’m glad that I did not let that set-back stop me, because (to make a long story short) this painting will be featured in the December issue of Watercolor Artist Magazine!

For those who are in the area, at noon on Saturday, October 21st I will be demonstrating this technique at the Daniel Smith Store in Redmond, WA.