Author Archives: esanford

Mystery Technique #155

October 20, 2025 – 4:58 pm

Curious about the techniques used here? You can learn more next month if you’ve signed up for email updates! 

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #154:

Using clear contact paper is my favorite masking technique — it makes it so much easier to paint something like this tree! First I drew the trunk and branches on the contact paper and cut out the shape; then I removed the backing and firmly pressed the sticky shape on watercolor paper. Next I painted a graded wash of blue for the sky. While this layer was still damp, I took a ratty brush loaded with yellow paint and used it to push away the blue and add irregular shapes for the first layer of leaves.

After this layer dried, I continued using the ratty brush to add medium green and then a few touches of darker green shapes, softening some of the edges with a damp brush or sponge.

Next I removed the contact paper and painted the trunk and branches and also added a little more dark green.

For the final step, I added more depth and definition with a 05 Micron black pen.

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ARTober Events & More!

September 30, 2025 – 6:09 pm

Celebrate ARTober by taking a class or workshop! At the Franklin Recreation Center, you can choose from two different 4-week series or a one-day workshop. Painting in Watercolor is designed for those who want to focus on basic techniques. We meet on Tuesdays from 1 – 3 pm and start on October 14. You can learn more here:

http://apm.activecommunities.com/wcpr/Activity_Search/40817

Go beyond the basics with Intermediate Watercolor on Thursdays from 1 – 3 pm. Strengthen your technical skills while deepening your understanding of color and composition. Our first class is October 16, and you can register here:

http://apm.activecommunities.com/wcpr/Activity_Search/40819

And on Saturday October 25, you can discover how to paint fall foliage in Watercolor Landscapes from 10 am – 2 pm. This workshop is also at the Franklin Recreation Center, and beginners are welcome. You can find all the details here:

http://apm.activecommunities.com/wcpr/Activity_Search/40814

Discover fun ways to use the natural world as your inspiration for painting abstractly at the Little Art House in Sylvan Park! Join us on Sunday October 5 from 1 – 5 pm; all levels are welcome, including beginners. All the details are here:

https://www.hisawyer.com/little-art-house/schedules/activity-set/1540906

And here’s a sneak preview for November! You can enjoy 2 full days of watercolor fun with Watercolor Weekend at Art & Soul. We meet on November 1 & 2 from 10 am – 4 pm, and you can sign up here:

https://www.artandsoulnashville.com/service-page/watercolor-weekend-2

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Mystery Technique #154

September 20, 2025 – 7:20 pm

Curious about the techniques used here? You can learn more next month if you’ve signed up for email updates! 

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #153:

Painting water is much easier if you have the right kind of fan brush! The stiffer bristles of oil and acrylic ones work better than those for watercolor, and you can get more varied marks if you give your brush a haircut.

I started this painting with the sky and its reflection in the water, using a wet-in-wet mixture of yellow and rose for the first layer. After this dried, I added a glaze of blue in places. Next I painted the distant island with a thin glaze and let the sky color show through for more depth and luminosity. I added the first layer of the other 2 islands before building up light strokes with this modified fan brush to hint at the water‘s motion and to suggest the islands‘ reflections. I finished by using a damp sponge to apply slightly darker greens on the islands to create the texture of foliage.

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