Here's another watercolor I did a few years back. Can you tell I'm a huge Brian Froud fan? I love his style.
The original is tiny...only 5 X 3 inches. I have no idea why I did it so small. It started as a doodle really & gradually turned into a teeny fairy painting.
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With delicate and simple strokes you gave form to a beautiful fairy, and formed woods behind her.
ItΒ΄s not easy to depict so well a background with this kind of techinque.
I used a mask (sealed the paper) to protect the wings & did them last...that's why they look so bright. Painting a watercolor is all about layering.
I can see the Brian Froud influence. I've had the privilege of meeting Brian several times now, and he's quite an amazing person. One of the kindest (and most talented) people I've ever met.
I envy you...I'd love to meet Brian Froud. His work is so distinctive & took fantasy art to a higher level.
Watercolors are tricky...you have to work fast, when the paper is just a little damp, to get the right blending of color. On the other hand, you need to let it dry if you want to do detail. I had to practice a LOT to figure all of that out. It's always a challenge.
Ciao!
Like him, I think fantasy art is most "convincing" when there are strong elements of reality & nature included in the composition. A fall fairy with wings that mimic dead leaves was, I thought, a fun idea & so that's where I was going with this piece.