Aqua Media Day 3: Wet on Wet & Earthy Landscape Collage

WET ON WET

The wet on wet technique is another way to approach liquid acrylic painting.  Begin with a sized sheet of Artistico Fabriano and wet the entire surface with a wide brush.  This is a good time to experiment with acrylic glazing, or you can just keep your mister on hand to maintain moisture so your paint moves easily.  Use a scraper, your fingers, plastic bags to manipulate the paint.  Let this painting technique be fresh and do not overwork your surface.   In the next step add two more colors by squirting directly on the paper.  Try not to use a brush!  Below Lana is showing how to use a wide scraper but if you don’t have one, be creative and use a piece of foam core or an eraser.

Watch as Lana demonstrates this technique at: (Paste the URL above into your web browser address bar.)

In this clip Lana lays the second and third colors in a does the initial painting with her fingers in a plastic bag.  She makes sure the paint and paper are wet and adds water with a brush and a bottle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghT65lYp06Q

Here Lana uses a shaper which is like an eraser on a brush handle which pulls larger areas of paint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZBQCZL8eUA

One of the students this week had a beautiful wet on wet painting. Here the first wet layers are laid down and allowed to dry.

And here is the finished piece after further development.  Robyn has taken an opaque and added more definition to her cruciform shape. Beautiful isn’t it?

Now on to the next demonstration.

EARTHY LANDSCAPE

We are learning so many techniques with different papers, formats, sizes, and subjects.  This one uses a Strathmore Illustration Board, with a quick pencil sketch.  Next Lana applies a band of gesso as a base for either a tissue or rice paper application.

Have fun with the tissue, ripping or pulling it into shapes.

You can then experiment with gel medium to create texture, but leave some areas without texture at the bottom.

Below Lana puts down some gesso over the gel medium.

After the piece is dry, you can decide upon your color scheme and begin to lay the colors on creating mountains and hills.

Time to insert some more video clips.

Here Lana lays down the initial colors to the mountains and mid sections.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3r5-xX27ZQ&layer_token=c315f7b24646cd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAHUtLwKhhk&layer_token=f5cef4b2dea7

Creating a soft sandy surface using alcohol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBnQH_eNnFc&layer_token=e6ac6b1f342bc5ea

Here is student Robyn again with her Earthy Landscape painting.

Robyn’s painting is almost finished, but Lana had reservations about the blue sky.  Did you notice this change from her previous photo?

Robyn if you finished this painting let us know!  I would love to complete this segment with your finished painting.

{images: Laurie Ashbach}