Painting 33

Ref 1087.- Watercolor / Practicing with Epson salts to represent a scene of snow and frost
Please refer to my first post in this subject on 28SE16, The woman in the red hat...
But now crystallizing rough with the shimmery effect
Shake or swirl equal amounts of Epsom salts and water (start with ½ tsp. of each) along with a pinch of salt in a covered jar. Add liquid watercolor for your desired hue. Swirl the mixture gently for 3-5 minutes and paint as usual. Dry overnight. Saturate paper with paint mixture to form large crystals
This is the result to partially apply this technique over Stardrean silver color paper 105 lbs

Material needed:
Epson salts (less tan 6 gr)
Modeling paste
Watercolor set (main colors described within the steps)
round brushes
Stardream silver color paper.- weigth105 gr
Spatulas 2 sizes (for details - small; for cover .- big)

1st step.- By previous experiences I found that is not necessary to detail first watercolor application over this type of paper, because once the first layer is applied and is dry Works better for next watercolor applications.- so in a loose way I decide main landscape contourns and/or guided lines with Payne´s grey with no Epsom salt yet diluted on it

2nd Step.- Base in previous post experience, I found that Epsom salts Works better with watercolor by its transparency than with gouache, "I use to work just with permanent White gouche due its brightness and opacity when paper is not precisely White" to créate the White base I need I apply modeling paste just where snow it going to be
Note you can créate texture with modeling paste but I just apply where snow áreas will be,  making them smooth with the same spatula (will be the anchor for white watercolor paint with epsom salts)

 

3rd Step.- Now in a pool with the wáter-salt ratio above indicated I prepare just the White color which is applied over the snowing áreas, with a big brush

 

 

 

4th Step.- While White color with salt is drying I continue working in the upper side with normal watercolors, building up with raw sienna, raw umber, yellow ochre, Payne´s grey, cerulean and phtalo blue mixed, and violet (I like colors, even the scene be on Winter)

 

5th Step.- I lift paint as I apply it, in order to integrate it, with an absorbent paper,
When you apply darks into the snow the colors integrate by itself with the crystals texturization on it (its amazing)

This is a close up 45° photograph of how the snow área looks after 12 hrs to let it dry, the crystals looks really like glitter snow, the texturization looks pretty good indeed, and remains within the paint you don´t need any type of fixer