In the completed painting you can see how I built up texture by moving to progressively darker paint applications. Notice that the cast shadows in the right-hand cliffs are bluer and darker, [...]

I am using a #8 round synthetic brush and lay it on its side. This not only covers a broader area, but it allows the brush to skip (scumble) over the paper for a textural effect. I am using [...]

After applying the basic underglazes I let them dry completely before starting my darker shadows. The cliff face on the left is in shadow, so I use darker pigments. As the paint starts to set up, [...]

Remember that the shadows on sandstone are often very warm due to reflected light. Here I am using Quinacridone Sienna, with a touch of Cad Red light, and cooling it with Quinacridone Magenta. I [...]

Everyone seems fascinated by the ripply water reflections in my Lake Powell paintings. This is a technique I learned from the master himself, David Drummond. But in this sequence I will [...]

The finished painting. “Deep Blue and Orange – Lake Powell” 8″ x 12″ watercolor by Roland Lee.