Not seeing the forest for the trees

In favor of focusing on the details

Hello Friend,

This week I spent a lot of time on trees. I watched another art video about using masking/art tape to block off sections of watercolor paper in the shape of tree trunks and then paint the background. After removing the tape, you also add detail to the trunks, making a sort of fantasy birch tree. This seemed fairly simple, but it was a surprise to me how the end result looked after removing the tape.

First attempt at watercolor tree trunks.

So naturally I had to try it again. I became very focused on the size and number of branches. I felt like the first version was too zoomed in on the trunks and I wanted to pull back a bit.

These watercolor trees have sprouted many branches.

You might notice there are a lot more branches on the second attempt. Once you get a taste of the tape reveal excitement, it’s hard to stop yourself! 😂

I still was craving a view that was pulled back even further, so for my third attempt, I turned the paper horizontally.

The pared down application of tape in the form of tree trunks and branches to watercolor paper.

In this version, the fantasy birch trees cheerfully welcomed the Spring by sprouting pink flowers.

It’s Spring in the fantasy world where birch like trees have pink flowers.

I’m so used to drawing or painting something in its entirety (see my prints here, including two full trees, tops included), that I didn’t realize that this method would feel a bit uncomfortable.

Using the tape engaged the control-loving part of my brain (the tape makes a perfectly straight line!), which then had to surrender when the paint snuck under the tape in some places, the tape tore the paper, and other such horrors, not to mention I was still craving to see the tops of the trees.

But it’s okay, I can give that part of my brain other tasks, like returning to lovely jigsaw puzzle that I started last night, something I find relaxing and very soothing to the part of me that wants to sort and organize something with an atheistically pleasing result.

xo

Tanya