I gave my 3rd watercolor lesson yesterday in painting evergreen trees to my Monday afternoon group in Old Saybrook. In the previous class a request was made for learning how to paint trees, specifically painting evergreen trees. I decided to give a demonstration for about 45 min to an hour and then have the class try their own painting. The painting shown below is the watercolor I did in class.
Painting Technique
The watercolor started out with a wet into wet painting of the background evergreen trees on the left. This created a soft more diffused group of evergreen trees that looks further away. On top of that group of trees I painted evergreen trees wet on dry creating a second layer of trees. The rest of the painting was mostly wet on dry painting with some softening of edges in the water, birch tree and shadows. I removed paint for the lighter reflections in the stream.
After finishing my demo the class started their own watercolors. I gave individual and general painting tips as they worked. After an hour and a half most of the paintings were finished or close to being finished. As we looked around at the watercolors someone commented that every painting was entirely different from each other. This never fails to impress me, I think it is especially true in watercolor paint.
Most of the people are encouraged with their “painting evergreen trees” watercolor and I stress to the group that “even if they remember one tip or technique I gave them then the class was a success”. In next weeks class I will show how to paint 4 different types of watercolor washes.
