How to create a loose water effect background in watercolor

Backgrounds can be a really fun way to add colour, texture, movement and mood to a painting. And although I tend to leave my backgrounds white, in the botanical tradition, I know that a lot of my subscribers enjoy including backgrounds in their watercolour paintings.

So, I invited my friend, professional artist Jennifer Rose, back into the studio to demonstrate another exciting technique for creating an attractive background.

In this video, Jennifer will show us how to create a water effect using plastic wrap (also known as cling film or Saran wrap). To help our environment, why not try using biodegradable plastic wrap? Even better if it’s a clean, dry, reused piece.

This water effect makes a great background for any aquatic subjects, or anything that might float on water, such as a leaf. It can look really effective if you combine a loose background like this with a subject painted in a more realistic style.

I hope you’ll have lots of fun experimenting with this technique!

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