Keeping Secrets has a new look!

Here’s the original version:

Can you spot the differences? Learn all about the changes in July!

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #69:

I started with a drawing of the nuthatch creeping down a branch and used clear contact paper to save white paper in the shape of the nuthatch’s silhouette; next I painted some general textures. After that layer dried, I peeled off the contact paper and cut out the shapes of the branches and the bird. To establish the position of key features, I did a little stippling with my .005 Micron pen. After wetting the paper, I came in with slightly drier paint, using a wet-in-wet technique to imitate the texture of feathers. After it dried, I added more stippling for details.

The nuthatch is my favorite bird to paint! You can find out about the special techniques I used to paint this one next month if you’ve signed up for email updates; I’ll reveal the details in June!

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #68:

This is the back of one of the sections of Tales from the Understory, Part 1 (formerly known as Backyard Food Chain IV). Now I’m using pieces of wooden dowels cut to different lengths and painted to match. It’s great to be able to get so much more depth!

Here’s the front:

It’s easy to see the dowels in this view:

And here’s my wonderful mini miter box that I used to cut them all:

Thanks to my friend Lesley Patterson-Marx for letting me experiment with her miter box first! Check out her work here:

http://lesleypattersonmarx.com/home.html

This is a closeup of Backyard Food Chain IV, and it’s an example of my new technique to create depth; I explain the old method below. You can find out about the new one next month if you’ve signed up for email updates; I’ll reveal the details in May!

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #66:

Unseen Omens II is one of the wall-hung watercolor sculptures from my Reshaping the Shadows exhibition. Here’s a view of the back of 2 of the panels and the acid-free foam circles I used to create depth:

By sticking 2 circles together, I could increase the space between each layer.

Here’s a closeup of the back 2 panels:

Now I’ve added another layer:

And here’s the completed piece again with very different lighting: