Growing in Unity - Day 4 - Watercolor Canvas

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be your Growing In Unity gal this week! Welcome to Day 4. Be sure to leave comments on my GIU posts each day this week because at the end of this fun week, I get to choose TWO of you to win an awesome grab back of 25 Unity Stamps! 

Today is all about experimenting!! As I first mentioned in my Tuesday post, I'm still being inspired by the black and white image with pops of color. I have these 6x6 wood panel that is pre primed with gesso…ready for acrylics or oil paints. Well, I wanted to watercolor so I applied a layer of Golden Absorbent Ground over the primed surface. I only did ONE layer. When I do this again, I will definitely do TWO layers of the absorbent ground. I learned from Donna Downey that Absorbent Ground creates a watercolor surface on surfaces that otherwise wouldn't be so acceptable to watercolors. However, like I said, I probably should have done two layers or perhaps will look into other watercolor primers for future projects.  I just feel like the watercolors didn't flow as well as they normally do as they started soaking in to the canvas too quickly and it was hard to move around and they would seep Oh well, that is what art is, right? Experimenting? While not entirely happy with the way my canvas turned out, I'm not entirely Unhappy either so I thought I would share regardless - that and I didn't have time to create anything else to share in its place. haha

I used two stamps on my canvas that I stamped first with Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black ink (this is my favorite ink to watercolor with because I love the crisp black lines it leaves on any surface). On Tuesday I mentioned how much I love the stamps Created by Tracey Malnofski - well, today I am using Autumn (and I saw on Facebook last night that she is coming out with a fairy line - I can't wait!!!) She comes with a beautiful empowering sentiment but I wanted to use the new sentiment set released by Donna Downey for Unity Stamp Co. - She. For what I had in mind with the pops of color on the canvas behind the black and white image - I knew the sentiment would be perfect. I also pulled out my Koi Watercolor travel set instead of the gelatos or peerless watercolors today. They had been neglected and I wanted the vibrancy of their colors on this project.

I am excited that I could actually get a picture of the Wink of Stella I used on her dress! It adds just the perfect amount of shimmer on my canvas. I thought about adding embellishments but then as I kept looking at it, I didn't want to take away from the painting itself (as awkward as it is.) 

Don't forget to stop by again tomorrow for my last GIU post and your final chance to win!

Thanks so much for stopping by - if you liked my art work today and don't want to miss a post please be sure to follow me by clicking the button below!

Products:
Unity Stamp Co - Autumn Stamp Set
Unity Stamp Co - She by Donna Downey
The artist panel 6x6 all-primed wood panel
Golden Absorbent Ground
Tsukinkeo Versafine Onyx Black ink
Koi Watercolor Travel Set
Winsor & Newton Series 7 Watercolor Brushes *Size 8 and 4
Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush pen