Revisiting Jake

This is Jake. Jake is one of the happiest dogs I know. Jake loves to run in the park while my friend Karin and I walk. Jake is very funny. He wiggles with excitement when Karin gets him on his leash for our walk. He talks to us...not really barking...just dog speak. Jake makes me laugh!

I started this demo a long time ago when I taught a workshop using Masa paper. I glued the  wet crumbled paper down to a canvas and let it dry. Jake was already drawn out with pencil before the paper was glued down. I added the plants and his name with a bone after the paper had dried onto the canvas. Then it was time to paint him with watercolor layers. Some collage pieces were glued down to add textures. I also added the numbers because Jake's Mom Karin is a retired accountant. 

I added some native grasses with negative painting behind the green plants....Jake likes to run through the grasses....I'm always worried that he will pick up some poison oak but he seems to just not be affected by it...

       

I also added pen lines on his fur and leash for detail. 

      

Jake is almost finished! He'll get a varnish layer with Golden Gloss Soft Gel and Golden Water-based varnish. Here's the tutorial. The isolation coat is the soft gel. The tutorial mentions that it is for acrylics only but I paint it on the watercolor slowly, shape by shape , so the colors do not spread. This  2 part process will seal the watercolor so the painting can be hung on the wall without framing.