The Retry - Andrews Bald Trail Series

Andrews Bald Trail II (12x9)

Andrews Bald Trail I (30x22)

In the last post, "Pouring Watercolor...", I promised to retry the Andrews Bald Trail 1 painting by creating a color study (a smaller version than the original that plays with new color choices). The result is Andrews Bald Trail II (color study).

What Changed?
Underpainting Wet-in-Wet vs. Pouring: When working on the color study this time, I opted not to pour watercolor for the underpainting, but instead painted it using wet-in-wet (applying fairly wet paint colors to wet paper).  This allowed for a bit more control of the colors.

Colors: I also limited my color palette a bit more than in the original painting.  And instead of using Cobalt Blue, I switched to Ultramarine Blue (green shade) after reading an article in the most recent issue of Watercolor Magazine, "Getting to Know Blue" by Hazel Soan.  For reds, only Alizarin Crimson; yellows: Aureolin Yellow and Winsor Lemon Yellow; greens: sap green, viridian mixed with either the yellows, blue or red. 

Foreground: Finally, with Pandora playing the Mozart station, I opted to use a much looser style and paint most of the foreground using the wet-in-wet approach.  So the appearance of the retry is looser, softer edges, more impressionistic than realistic.

Conclusions
It was good advice to do a color study and retry the painting. It's also much more freeing for me to paint a bit looser, quicker (oh - and smaller). While I'm not sure the retry captures quite the feeling of the original photograph or my desire to create that peaceful, misty, mystical mood, it does have its own, "happy" feeling (ah, those primary colors do wonders). And...drum roll...I may try it once again...bigger.  To pour or not to pour?  I want to try it again, but probably not for this painting - it's cold out on the deck now!

As always, it would be great to hear your thoughts.  Happy Thanksgiving!