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ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #137:

This one uses 3 different masking techniques! First I cut the leaves and egg out of clear contact paper and attached the shapes to the watercolor paper; this kept those areas free of paint while I worked on the nest. I started with pale golden brown. After this layer dried, I used a Molotow Grafx art masking liquid pump marker to mask thin crisscross lines inside the nest. To create the thicker grass on the outside of the nest, I used a Colour Shaper dipped in Incredible White Mask. When all the masking had dried, I painted the nest with a darker brown and let that dry; then I painted the background and branches. The next step was to remove all the masking fluid:

I added more texture with a piece of shelf liner and a .005 Micron pen. After finishing the nest, I removed the contact paper and painted the egg and leaves.