Mountain Valley Color

This watercolor is done in stages. The back ground was done last as opposed to how we normally do it, which is first. I stared with the fore ground rocks and the trees.  Then I painted the multi-color rock, I used an old gift card I broke in two for the pull and twist in the wet paint. This creates a cool effect like rocks, with shadows and lights. Then they can be darken or highlighted.

The light blue middle ground is the far distant hills and mountains. I then allowed this to dry completely before I touched anything else.  At that point I went in with white gauche to the add the birch trees and dead tree limbs.  I then took my old 1/4 brush for a wrapped birch bark look in black.

After everything was dry again I added the orange and yellow ocher for the leaves. Then I added the light cerulean blue for my sky. I left the bottom white paper to fit my frame later which I will cut to fit.

I like this one and I hope you do too.