So I had a friend approach me about doing a painting as an anniversary gift. She asked me to do a watercolor painting of the ceremony site - Convict Lake in Mammoth Lakes, CA.
I LOVED THIS IDEA! I don't know why I didn't think of it before! I would have loved a gift like this because it's such a special way to remember your wedding day.
I took some progression pictures of the painting so you can see my process:
First I started with by sketching out the image. When doing watercolor, it's important to have a plan (especially if it's supposed to be a more realistic painting.)
Then I laid down a wash for the sky. While it dried I started blocking in the shadows on the rocks.
Next I started with laying some light washes on the mountains. I like to build up my colors, so I tend to move from light to dark. I also start pretty broad and get more and more detailed as I go.
While the brown wash was drying, I started blocking in the color on the other mountains.
And here's where I start moving around the whole painting, blocking in colors by shade.
Now here's where I started just going for it, and I totally forgot to take pictures. I basically blocked in all the color on the mountains, making sure all the defining characteristics of the mountain would stand out. Then I moved to the water where I did a wet-in-wet wash, adding different blues and greens and a little bit of purple and brown.
Lastly, I put in the details on the rocks, and the trees on the mountains, and I was done!
Here's the final painting!
