Lifting makes a difference

There are so many techniques (and tricks) with watercolor! This particular class we were going to be experimenting with 'lifting' - that is, removing color.  We were painting trees (as described in a book we were using) and began with a pink background on very wet paper.

It is so hard for me to just paint without doing a sketch or having a real composition in mind - just put the paint on the paper. . .  Well, I started dropping in color until it seemed I had created three trees. Also, the background went from pink to green and gold and suddenly the trees were reddish-pink!  I thought it looked pretty grim until I added some dark darks. It began to have some promise. So, I let it dry some. Actually, I probably used a hair dryer, I don't remember.

Then it was time - I began lifting some color. Using a brush with clear water and wetting an area where I wanted to lift color, I found shafts of light in this strange forest by the side of a stream. And, there are now ripples in the water reflections.

Ta da! The shafts of light connect the composition and it comes together into a painting - after all!

Amazing! How weird it that?