68 Watercolor artist | FEBRUARY 2019
demo
Rainy Intersection
John Bayalis works the entire surface in a traditional light-to-dark
approach using his favorite blues—ultramarine and manganese—
and violet, along with sepia and phthalo green.Step 1
After making a pencil transfer drawing on
Arches 300-lb. hot-pressed paper, I decide
which areas of the composition need masking.
This allows me to apply washes liberally and
loosely, without losing the white areas I’ll need
later. I do color testing for the base
background areas, leaning toward brighter
colors to start with for the sky and street
areas. Watercolors dry to a less intense color,
and I can soften any areas that appear too
bright with the later washes. I wet the entire
paper to allow free application for the sky and
street areas. After the initial washes dry,
I paint in some of the essential elements, such
as background trees, buildings and cars.Step 2
I intensify the overall color, keeping washes
loose and using active brushwork over the
entire surface to create a rainy look. The sky
is intensified with a bit more violet applied
into the predominant manganese hue. The
street and trees are also intensified, with
more details indicated. The reflective areas
of the paved surfaces are developed while
the paint is still wet. Some smaller details in
the cars and buildings are picked out as
well. I evaluate whether the overall value
seems dark enough to provide contrast
against the streetlights and headlights.Reference hoto
The photographed scene is flat and somewhat
gray—and in need of more life for the painting.