Low Maintenance - Finishing Touches!

The only parts of the painting left are the background trees, the fence posts, and a little more detail in the grasses.

Trees:
If you masked your trees when painting the background, remove the masking. If you used masking tape, simply peal off carefully, being cautious to not rough up the paper. If you used masking fluid, use an eraser and rub across the masking fluid. Once the masking has been removed, apply clean water over the trucks and large limbs of the trees. While still wet, apply a wash of Payne's Gray on the right side and allow the water to pull the paint across the truck. After this has dried, use a small round brush and apply lines to indicate the sections of bark. Paint the smaller limbs on the tree in a wash of Payne's Gray.

Prepare a wash of Burnt Umber to paint in trunks and branches in the background using a light touch.

When the trees are dry, prepare a wash of Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre. Using a sea sponge, sponge in these colors sparingly for the leaves that are remaining on the trees.

Fence Posts
Prepare a wash of Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Payne's Gray, and Ultramarine Blue. Apply clean water to the posts and while still wet drop in the colors listed above in a random pattern. Use a small piece of plastic wrap "scrunched up" to fit the posts. Use a small piece of masking tape to hold the plastic wrap in place until dry. When dry, remove the plastic wrap and you will find tree bark posts painted for you - thanks to the plastic wrap!

Foreground Grasses
Using a wash of Yellow Ochre and Burnt Umber, deepen the grassy area whee needed for shadows and spatter a little of the paint across the foreground grass to add interest.

Review the painting for any finishing touches or details you would like to add. Sign your name - you have finished another great painting!

Until next blog......... Happy Painting!

Karen