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Start Art 5 31 www.painters-online.co.uk start to paint a gradated wash, adding more water until the paint is almost clear at about one third from the bottom of the paper. Start to introduce very diluted yellow ochre, strengthening to the base of the paper. Feed more ochre into the drying wash. This should create a ‘cauliflower’ effect and add foreground texture. 4 Wait for the shine to go off the paper, then add a diluted mix of blue with a touch of red to the horizon to denote the distant tree line. Use a fine size 8 brush and paint with the tip. The paint should run easily onto the paper and blossom outwards to give soft hazy trees. Dab the base of the trees lightly with a tissue to complete the hazy effect. 5 Finish the painting off by adding the fence from the sketch, a fallen branch and a couple of birds (these are actually paint marks where I accidentally splashed the sky! See Stage 3) ✎ T I P The brush must be c ompletely flooded when you paint over the main tree. Otherwise too much of the underlying paint will be picked up and muddy the painting. This technique gives a lovely soft misty effect as the overlaid washes soften the previously painted tree. STAGE 3 The finished image of a tree in a field with fence and birds that were actually accidental splashes of paint! STAGE 1 Scumble an abstract area of paint onto your paper using the side of your brush using the technique described STAGE 2 Using a size 8 brush add some branches and twigs in a darker colour mixed from all three colours