Tribute to Alaska

Medium: watercolors

Hurrah! I actually took pictures while painting, so that you can see my techniques and general craziness of going about things. I got this idea to do a tribute to Alaska when I was looking at pictures of different moose, and sketching them (they are so fun looking!) and just kind of thought it would be fun to sketch my favorite mountain of Alaska behind it... (Pictured below) And than this just kind of... came to be. =)

Flattop mountain (my pic)

Here's the simplified sketch on 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper that was my start after compiling different elements from my sketch book (not shown)...

I first off used some fisket (masking fluid) to preserve the most important whites and areas that I didn't want the possibility of smudging or me just messing it up=)

Painting wise, I started with the sky first (I go back and fourth with starting or not starting at the top - just matters on the mood that I happen to be in at the time). Wetting some corners, letting it all run together and then using a paper towel to slightly dab away at the more intense edges to make them softer.

Moving onto the mountains (flattop is real, while the one behind it is just put there simple for the purpose of the artist quality for the painting)...

And than I created a heavy mist between the mountains and the loose evergreen tress (wet on wet).

After the first layer of trees dried completely, I added detail to the closer ones... as well as put a medium ground in (wet in wet again).

Adding mud, grass and small rocks (it is Alaska people =)...

I then cleared all the fisket out, and layered in another layer of foreground, as well as the distant field.

And on to the MOOSE! Did the legs, then added in my deepest values...  Added depth to the piles of snow...

Mr.Moose almost finished, layer two and three...

And than - Finished! Added some last minute details and am calling it a night...

13x8

My desk afterwards - not all that bad actually. =)

EDIT:

I'm so excited, and yet at the same time kind of sad. I just sold this painting, my first ever painting to ever be bought...
Let the new chapter begin!