This is a spicebush swallowtail caterpillar — it’s my favorite kind! You can find out the different steps in my caterpillar-painting process next month; I’ll share the details in August, so be sure to sign up for email updates!
ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #82:
Part 1:
I began by using a brush loaded with lots of water to draw a loose network of looping shapes on hot press watercolor paper; then I dropped granulation medium, diluted yellow acrylic ink, and yellow and green liquid watercolor into the wet areas, leaving small patches of white paper.
Part 2:
After Part 1 dried, I taped a tracing paper drawing on top to act as a template, then cut out the basic leaf shapes with a craft knife. Next I painted the veins with Winsor & Newton’s Permanent Masking Fluid to preserve the underpainting — it’s so much easier to apply than other masking fluids, and you don’t have to remove it! I added additional layers of yellow, green, and blue to create more dimension. After the paint dried, I stippled with a black Micron .005 pen to increase the sense of depth; you have to look closely to see the little dots!
Home