Step 1
On a recent trip to Ireland I enjoyed walking the grounds of the Blarney Castle and doing numerous sketches. I completed this painting back in my studio focusing on the small tower near the entrance. A crucial element in the painting is the fresh sky leading to the tower.
Step 2
Although I did a careful drawing on the watercolor paper, I ignored it when I laid in the initial sky washes. While the paper was wet I dripped various colors into the sky area allowing the pigment to mingle. My colors are Ultramarine blue, Yellow Ochre, and Quinacridone Pink.
Step 3
Since the tower is going to be silhouetted against the sky, I can now paint over the top of the wet-into-wet wash when it is dry. I am blocking in the rough shapes and will work on the detail later.
Step 4
As I add dark passages to the shadow areas, the castle begins to have form and mass.
Step 5
I finish up with the darkest darks, and add detail to bring the whole scene into focus. the wet-in-wet sky gives freshness to the scene.
Step 6
The finished painting.