Tree Frog In Water Colour

Best known for her botanical art, ANNA MASON turns her attentions to this wildlife subject to show you a simple way to build a watercolour in clean layers of colour

- Anna Mason

A colourful character like this tree frog [original photo, pictured right] can prove a daunting prospect when aiming for a realistic result in watercolor.

There are so many colors that have the potential to bleed into each other to create muddy browns, which is why my wet-on-dry method removes stress. I paint each color in turn, letting it dry before applying the next so no two layers bleed together.

I began this painting of a tree frog with pale, watery mixes of watercolor which were a match to the lightest tonal values within each color.

I then layered up within each color area, always waiting for each previous layer to dry first, working on the darkest tones followed by the mid tones.

All the while, I was adding detail and texture with my brushstrokes. Working in this wet-on-dry way means you stay firmly in control of where you place your paint.

For a more detailed demonstration of how to paint this tree frog, a 2.5-hour video is available as part of my online school. www.annamasonart.com/online-school

1. Draw your subject

I like to work from photos, especially when the subject is tiny and might move. Photos also have the benefit of capturing exactly how the light was falling on a subject in a given moment.

To make the painting process as easy as possible, the drawing needed to be a ‘contour’ drawing, mapping out the outside edges of the frog and bamboo but also any clear edges to shapes of color within the frog and bamboo. These included the eyes, the main areas of highlight on the skin, and dots and lines on the legs and between toes.

2. Map out colors