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For those of you carefully following these epistles, you will recall that it's really hard to paint light, transparent color over dark tree trunks.

Therefore, if you are planning on having leaves on your tree, paint them FIRST. Lay in the general areas of green on your damp paper and let it dry, or paint your green areas in on dry paper with a big brush and a scrubbing, pushing, or rolling technique.

I tend to paint most of my groups of leaves, weeds, etc., with a SPONGE. Sponges, as you recall, are valid painting tools. Get an irregular texture sponge for this. Artist's Sea Sponges work well, as do pieces of natural sponge that you can get at auto supply stores (used for washing cars).

Gently, LIGHTLY, soak up a bit of paint and water from your palette. Don't press too hard... you don't want the sponge soaking wet, just lightly dampened around the gills. Now gently sponge that sucker onto your paper. Plop - plop- plop. That's it. Be sure to twist your wrist and change the angle of the sponge so that your trees don't look like a rubber stamp pattern. Be careful that things don't get too dark. You can darken later, but you can't lighten later without a lot of grief.

One can never have too many sponges of all kinds and textures. Some of the cellulose sponges with fine even grains can be cut into small square pieces which make excellent brick structures.

After this is dry you can take sponge and brush and add highlights, little dark twigs, and leaves. Finally, if you want a bit more texture, load up your old toothbrush with darker color and flick the bristles at your paper. The little splatter dots add a lot of contrast and interest. Look at some watercolors and you'll see this technique used often.

Click this link to see an example of this tree technique.

• Rubber Cement
  The cheap liquid masking agent. OK but don't let it dry too long or it can get hard to remove. Some say it yellows the paper.
• Liquid artists masking fluid
  Just latex and water. Much safer, works better, looks better, feels better. Be sure to wash it out of your brush before it drys.
• Masking tape
  Use to tape your paper down and for making masks. Can be cut with an X-acto knife to create shapes.

MASKING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PAINTING. Plan your masks and where you want them before you begin. Painting lots of foliage? Lay down a light green wash first. Then mask the leaves, lay down some more washes, remove some of the masking, lay down more washes, and continue until you wind up with a nice patch of leaves of all different colors. Then simply go back in and add a few accents here and there, and you're through! Instant woods.

Consider your masking tools as paint brushes. They are not just for prevention but for creating.

May your water go where you send it!

Windspinner
©1997 John Beckwith