Watercolor Realism/Texture Using a Palette Knife!

Sharon Long has spent over 35 years painting, traveling and teaching thousands of students from all points in the US and Canada.  She has perfected some exciting techniques that set her apart from many watercolor artists.  One of those techniques is to use a special, custom made, very stiff Palette Knife and thick paint to achieve a 3D look in her paintings.  This is most notable when painting trees, brush, grasses, and even animal fur!

By scooping thick paint off the paper using the palette knife, bark on trees can be so realistic that it looks like you can reach out and feel the roughness of the tree trunk.  And by turning the palette knife on its side and following the natural groves of the paper you can create tiny branches, long flowing grasses, and even perfect barbed wire.

Now you can follow along as Sharon creates a tree, limbs, branches and pine needles to end up with a very realistic looking pine tree against a blue sky with clouds. 

Imagine the look on friends and families faces when you mat and frame your work and they move closer and try to touch the bark.  They will be amazed!

Enjoy this project and remember that you can order the special palette knife, brushes, and even the Magic Palette on Sharon's web site at Sharonlongwatercolors.