Pumpkin Patch

Since today is Halloween and Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I thought a pumpkin painting would be a good blog entry. The painting above, "Pumpkin Patch" places the foreground posts and pumpkins as the focal point of the painting. This is achieved by creating an "illusion" of a pumpkin patch in the background by painting wet on wet and dropping in colors.

The posts are painted using a technique I use for painting weathered wood. I used the steps below to paint the posts:

Begin with a pale, varied wash applied to a damp surface and let it dry. Wood colors vary. Use a wash of the following colors:
 Yellow Ochre
 Payne’s Gray
 Sepia

Do not paint all washes over the top of the other washes, but blend the colors together.

Use a flat brush with the bristles fanned out slight to drybrush in wood grain lines. Use a medium dark wash of Burnt Umber/Payne’s Gray or Sepia/Indigo.

Finish with wavy lines creating a woodgrain using Gray, Sepia or black. A fine liner brush can be used or a very fine line pen. These lines need to be soft, not hard heavy lines. Detail can be added using the following techniques:
• Spatter
• Alcohol drops to “bleach” out some of the wood color
• A knothole created using your knuckle.

Students in my November watercolor classes will be given the option to work on this painting. I had fun painting it! Give this painting a try......you'll enjoy it too!

Happy Fall!