Working on Watercolour Paper

I am trying something new, quick paintings on Watercolour Paper to see how I like it. It isn't going very well because I am only using 90 lb. paper and it should be heavier to resist wrinkling.

The reason I am trying it out is to see how to do a transparent background layer. I think I will transfer the technique to gessoed board very soon. At least there won't be any wrinkling.

Stage 1: I started by painting a yellow wash of acrylic paint over the watercolour paper. I let that dry completely before putting a clear acrylic gel coat to isolate the yellow layer from the rest of the acrylics on top. I let the gel dry completely.


Stage 2: I started painting washes of colour to create a study of cloudes, which I will call "Yellow Sunset". I really need to be working on more than one of these type of paintings at the same time. That way, I won't be waiting for each wash of colour to dry.

You can see that I am letting the yellow of the underpainting show through on the bottom lake and in the sky.

More to come...

Pam