I usually work from photographs I’ve taken due to lack of time to create plein air. Plein air is when an artist will work on location and create the scene in front of them into a work of art. This can be done in many two dimensional mediums such as pastels or watercolors. Mixed media simply means mixing more than one medium together on one piece of artwork such as watercolor and pen. The combinations are endless.
My husband and I love to travel, especially via road trips. We have traveled twice from Texas to Massachusetts and many photos have been shot along the way to use as possible artwork. The following photograph was taken during one of these road trips. Unfortunately, I cannot remember what state we were in at the time. So the end result piece, next to it was named “Just Passin’ Thru”
When it comes to working with mixing watercolors and pen, it can be approached in more than one way. An artist may start with the watercolors, then add the pen for details. Since I’m more of a realist than an impressionist, I start with pencil to lightly place everything in its proper place. I make sure of this especially with hard edged items such as tree trunks and buildings. Pens are unforgiving and cannot be erased or covered easily with watercolors. After everything is in place to my satisfaction, I then go over the penciled areas in pen and then keep adding from there.
Once the hard edged items are placed, you can have more leeway in placing the more forgiving items like bushes and leaves and grass blades. If you put a leaf in the wrong spot, you can make it work. Nobody would ever know.
You will get to a point where you have done enough pen to start working with the watercolors and then use the pen throughout and at the end for finishing touches. I recommend using paper that is advertised for mixed media and/or can be used with watercolor, pen and pencil and even acrylic. The pages are heavier to take the water based mediums. I used mixed media Canson paper in pad form.
Part of the reason I start with pen before I add watercolors, is because I feel for me, it gives me more control for details later on. You will have to figure out what way works best for you and it also depends on what mediums you are working with and your style. The pens I used are Micron pens which are great for mixed media and drawing.
As you move along, you’ll see it start to take shape and have more depth.
As you can see, things are starting to shape up. Some more of the foreground and the tree trunks are up next. Every piece of art is handled differently as to what you work on next but usually to start, you work on the sharper edged items first and then work them towards the end for the final touches. But again, it depends on your preference and style.
But even though it was completed, when you are working closely on a piece, you wont realize if you missed something until you’ve stepped away from it. I don’t just mean at the moment, but even stepping away from it when you thought it was completed, then suddenly spotting something you cannot figure out how you missed in the first place.
As I was writing this blog and I put the photograph and the finished product side by side, at the beginning, I noticed something I missed. Can you see what it is? I welcome your input and/or questions in the comment section below. I am an affiliate marketer for Amazon at no extra charge to you.