A GOOSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR - STEP BY STEP WATERCOLOR

A Goose of a Different Color 
13.5 x 9 in./ 34.5 x 22 cm.
Stonehenge hot press paper

It was going to be a white goose, so I started with a grey [aureolin, a quin. pink and cobalt blue] for the form shadows.

Some quin. sienna and pink for beak, and quin. sienna for feet.

Deepening colors. It was at this point, I asked Pat [my goose aficionado] what she thought. She found him to be a bit insipid, so ...

... I made up a grey-brown [quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone] to add some color, and got to work.

I had bought some Stonehenge paper, both cold and hot press, and planned to paint some intricate floral on the hot press. But the goose won out. It is a lovely surface on which to paint - I was very pleased with how it allowed me to work the feathers. Probably some more geese in future, but with more animation.

Thank you for dropping by!!

GEESE - A PROCESS, OR WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FO THE GANDER

Goose and Gander
39 x 24 cm.
15 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.
A gift for a serious goose-lover

My drawing, with all my scribbled notes, most of which have nothing to do with the drawing.

I masked the geese, and did at least 8 gradated washes of permanent rose, phthalo. blue  and indanthrone. Then started on their bodies with wet-in-wet washes of pink and quin. sienna. The feet and bills were painted with quin. sienna, and shadowed with sienna, quin. violet and indanthrone.

Gradually built up the shadows with phthalo. blue and quin. sienna ...

... a few touches of orange and blue, and done.

I painted this as a birthday gift for a friend. She loves geese - says they remind her of her first husband! [One of my brothers-in-law always reminded me of a duck, but that's another story.] When I showed her the finished work, she burst out laughing - she loved them, and found them so silly-looking. As long as I can bring some joy to someone with my art, I am happy.
I'd like to mention that I tried a new [to me] paper - Stonehenge rough 140 lb. I quite like it. It stands up to masking and multiple washes well, and all the other rough treatment I give.

Thank you for dropping by to visit the geese!