Watercolor Landscape Tips

This is where I started watercolor painting, but since then I have traveled the world and painted landscapes in many places. I've compiled a selection of my watercolor landscapes on this page along with my thoughts on the subject.

Looking out my studio kitchen window this winter, I discovered that inspite of the severe cold, there was still water at the bottom of the hill, and the geese found a way to feed. In late afternoon the sun lit up the pockets in the snow on the hill, and I found the scene very serene.

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This was a real challenge! I began very loosely, painting the sky and water....at such a slant that most of the paint slid off the canvas onto towels on the floor! I ended up having to work more opaquely and less of a slant to hold the paint on the canvas. This proved to be the best, as then I could just add a yellow over the blue to allow the two colors to mix into green. Of course, to intensify the green, I did use some green paint....cool and warm for variation. It is a very calm and serene scene and I am enjoying looking at it before it goes to a gallery.

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Utilizing the advantages of the watercolor canvas, I could create the counterpoint movement in the water by painting in one direction and lifting in the opposite direction. The lily pads are painted with more opaque pigments to bring them to the surface, appearing to float on the more transparent water.

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This is a plein aire watercolor landscape painting that was done in 105º hear. Fortunately I had a friend painting along side, and misery loves company. Our clothes were dripping wet and sticking to our bodies when we finished...and we were painting in the shade!

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Do you have a landscape to share, or a tip or technique?

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Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Lake Scene 
I'm interested in pouring techniques for watercolor. I particularly like Roland Roycraft's work and had bought one of his books. I painted this scene ...

Sea of Dreams 
I was inspired to paint this scene when I saw a photo taken by a friend. It's a scene 10 miles north of Malibu in California. He was happy to let me use ...

Savannah River Street painting 
This is a very popular painting I completed that now sells on River Street in Artsy's of Savannah. I started the work from a photograph I took on vacation....

Granite hills in Brazil 
I am a geologist and make quick pencil sketches while on fieldwork. Later when I have the time, I paint my pictures based on these sketches. Some sketches ...

Wind Storm 
I live in Toscana so I have plenty of subjects to draw, this is a summer landscape I saw near Siena.

Peace and Tranquilty 
I was driving along the north shore of Lake Superior and came across this scene. I think it was where Old Woman's River flowed into Superior.
I pulled ...

The Bay  Not rated yet
This is a watercolor done in my art class. I had only taken a few classes and did not have a project in mind for a class, the instructor gave me a post ...

Wet Street by Shrley Roma Charlton  Not rated yet
This was on a quarter sheet of Arches watercolour paper. Painted in half an hour as a Demo it taught me that sometimes Less time helps to keep ones watercolour ...

Dislocated Creek Located  Not rated yet
Hi Mary Ann,

I took a fall when walking along this creek (actually named Hospital Creek) and I dislocated my left arm at the elbow. I reconnected it,...