Continuing Watercolor (March/April 2013)

This painting started with the face.  I wet the skin area and added color in the dark areas gently guiding it (I mixed burnt sienna and permanent rose for the skin).  I let it dry and then made a second pass on dry paper.  I added the skin color, a small amount of pigment in a lot of water,  to the dark areas and guided it.  After that was dry I wet the scarf and hat area and dropped in color (purple, permanent rose, aureolin yellow).  I then added salt (when the area was shiny, not a puddle).  I pulled out the little spiky areas on the edges while the paint was still wet.  I could have done that with the water during the initial wetting of the area.

Today I worked some on the left upper wing adding highlights with gouache and color to the 'black' area.  On the bottom left wing I lifted some of the dark and added color (for more values).  I also added some white.  I worked on the background adding more to the dandelions and muting some of the background contrasts.  I added a shadow the the butterfly body and white areas on  its head.