Today Marc began by applying a solid orange layer over the boat. That bold splash of color lifted the whole painting—very striking. A difficult but very educational subject.
Then he introduced the next motif: a small river in backlight with trees on both sides. He carefully drew the composition. Once we had done the same, he started in the upper left corner with branches and leaves, using lots of water and different pigments that created beautiful granulation effects. Marc likes to let chance play a role in creating textures.
He mostly worked with the same three colors from day one but also added Van Dyke brown. Even though he uses only a few colors, he makes up for it with many brushes—scattered all over the table. And of course, he is always searching for the one that is hardest to find.
With just three colors on your palette, you’ll have plenty of time to find your brushes 😉
During the day, we added more branches and areas, mixed with more spontaneous effects. Toward the end, Marc added a light blue tone—I believe it was cobalt azure. He also showed how to lift color and create light by “painting” with water and quickly blotting it with a cloth. Almost all the pigment disappeared—so easy when he does it. A very enjoyable subject.
Read more about Marc Folly, his watercolors, his books and workshops
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