The next set of preparatory exercises consisted of using a "dry brush" technique. Here is the first example from the book. While I do like the look of this, I wondered why the author had used a dry brush (aka not very "juicy" or without much wet paint on the brush) on the grasses rather than a fan brush, which is made for painting grasses like this. But no matter, I went ahead and followed the directions.
Here is mine. Note that, being one to resist following directions to the letter, just on principle, I added in some sky, also using a dry brush. I like the example a lot better but think I kind of got the idea. Except that adding in the sky, also using a dry brush, didn't help the eye any in making a nice, smooth path through the subject matter. Ok, so let's not do that again!
A few more scenes to try using the dry brush technique.
And here are my efforts to replicate the result. I didn't have as much luck with the puddles on the road and am not quite sure why, but not too bad, although I'm also not too keen on the way I've let the road fade off into the distance. Needed to include less of it. Make a note of that!
The rocks may be my best attempt, although I did cheat just a bit in adding in some dark areas in order to separate the rocks from each other. I think I did improve from the first to the last of these paintings, if marginally.
Learning: Stick with fan brushes for grasses and practice on some scrap paper to make sure I've got the right amount of "dryness" on the brush before starting on the actual areas where I'll be using it.
How about you? Not meaning your efforts at the book's examples, but in using a dry brush effect in your watercolors. What's been your experience?
