Sunbird

Sunbird

I shared this wall art of Sunbird, a watercolor, when I did an “Art Fair” tent show in Scottsdale, AZ. When  I heard a loud gasp from a woman standing in front of this landscape painting I had displayed. Inquiring, I asked what was wrong, and she said this was her store and was shocked to see it as a watercolor painting. Of course, she purchased this wall decor, and both of us were thrilled! The Hanks family has owned this family-run shop since 1988. “Sunbird” is just off the Plaza in Old Town Albuquerque. Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has more than 700 balloons taking to the skies and attracts thousands of spectators each year.

Sunbirds Adobe Appearance

Look close, and you can see the technique I used while painting this wall art. The first thing to do is to mask anything that isn’t the building. Masking Fluids prevent the paper from absorbing the color. I applied a mask before I used a wash to protect areas that I wanted to remain white. Using a 2″ broad brush while the paper is wet, I put down the colors of yellow, orange, red, and cobalt blue, one after the other. This way, they could blend. I then sprinkled kosher salt to absorb some of the pigment. When the paint dried, I peeled away the covering and wiped away the salt. This technique was used for Drums & Mocassins, Mondays, Taos Pueblo, and San Ysidro, to name a few.

Vivid Mystical Sedona Landscape Paintings

My first love was painting with watercolors; however, my medium of choice now is heavy body and liquid acrylics. Discover my vivid, mystical landscape paintings here.