Sunflower Magic

Sunflower Magic
Ink, watercolor, wax on rice paper, 12x9
purchase here

The theme for the week is "sunflowers", as I have to decide on three paintings to enter into the Sunflower Festival by Friday morning.  So, another day of experimenting!  I first inked the composition in loosely on this very thin rice paper.  It is so thin I can easily see through it!  Then I added the watercolor to the flowers and foliage - with a paper towel underneath because that paint just runs right through the paper.  Covering these areas with hot wax, I then painted in the background colors.  Next, these areas are also painted with hot wax using a synthetic 1 inch bristle type brush.  Once dry, the crinkling up of the whole thing begins.  Pressing it as flat as possible, I next float a brownish watercolor paint into all of the cracks, which spreads in unpredictable ways that could never be accomplished the same way twice.  This step adds so much character to the painting!  Next, between layers of brown paper, the wax is removed with a medium hot iron until no more wax stains the brown paper.  Some wax remains in the paper, which is now translucent from this process.  Zoom in on the texture, because this whole wax technique adds such depth to the surface.  This painting makes 633 in as many days and Day 23 of in the 30 Day Painting Challenge.  So much fun to experiment - I can hardly tear myself away!