Entry #1

 Hello, meet sweet Sasha. Look at those gorgeous ears! I was asked to paint Sasha by my friend, Anne, who wants to give the painting to Sasha's human mom on her birthday.

SWEET SASHA

The finished size will be 8 x 10 inches and I will be using Arches 300 lb cold press watercolour paper. Pigment colours will be pretty basic: Winsor Newton French Ultramarine and Daniel Smith Burnt Sienna (to be mixed to form the various shades of black/gray), Daniel Smith Sepia along with black and a splash of pink for Sasha's collar.

Colour Palette

When painting with watercolour it is necessary to stretch the paper in order to prevent buckling during the process of painting. This involves soaking and attaching it to a board to dry. I use a gummed paper around the edges and then staple all around just to be safe. The paper then stays on the board until the painting is finished at which time it is removed and trimmed. Drying is an overnight process and painting cannot begin until it is completely dried.

WORKING SKETCH

During the drying process I start to work on my sketch of Sasha. This is simply a linear work which I then transfer onto the dried paper. Once transferred, it is time to pick up my brushes and get to work. Easier said than done!  Check out Entry #2 to follow along in the process.

~C