Joel Popodics did a demonstration of Liberty Hill Farm with cows. He’s noted for his greens. There were 3 cameras set up: 1. Him 2. The painting 3. His palette He started with a drawing of the scene.

pencil drawing

He wet the entire paper, which was a full sheet of 300# watercolor paper. Thick paper doesn’t buckle as he uses so much water. The sizing is broken down a little and oils from his hand can be cleaned up as he brushes on the water.

cobalt blue and cadmium scarlet pour for sky

Cobalt blue is a true blue and good for skies with ultramarine a good choice for the apex. Winsor blue has a bit of green which is good for a cold sky. Cadmium scarlet was poured in the middle. Payne’s grey with a bit of ivory black and cobalt blue was used for the clouds.

clouds in grey and blocking in trees

There are 3 stages of wetness: 1. Saturated 2. Moist, with shine disappearing 3. Damp

He blocked in the trees and shared a tip that adding a bit of red to the green will push back the faraway trees. Using a square brush and scrapping on the side helps make natural edges. A script brush is good for small trunks and branches. Try to get at least 6 values in trees for realism. The final painting was a lovely and restful scene of a barn, trees, cows and rolling hills.