Makings and Musings Community

In this class, I invited you to slow down and explore a loose watercolour background technique.

We began by letting go of detail and control. I showed you how I start with simple blobs of colour using a large round brush, allowing the paint to move and mix naturally on the paper. By letting colours touch, beautiful textures appeared without any effort.

I talked you through how water changes everything in watercolour. I demonstrated how more water creates soft, pale washes and how less water gives stronger, more intense colour. I also showed you how to lift paint back out using clean water and kitchen paper to create lighter areas.

These abstract layers became the base for our winter forest scene. Once the background was dry, we moved on to adding details with pencils and pens. I showed you how I use a white pencil on darker areas to create tree branches and how using different colours, such as purple and black, adds variety and depth.

We explored different tree shapes and textures, and I used fineliners for finer details that pencils cannot easily achieve. Small additions like an owl and falling snow helped turn the abstract background into a magical winter forest.

I shared some inspiration from the artist Ulla Thynell and talked about how cool colours help create a wintry atmosphere. I also suggested adding a small pop of red to bring contrast and visual interest. We discussed how looking at other artists’ work can inspire us, while still making personal creative choices.

Art materials used:

• Watercolour paper

• Watercolour paints

• Large round watercolour brush

• Water jar

• Kitchen paper

• White coloured pencil

• Coloured pencils (including black and purple)

• Fineliners

• Pencil sharpener