The green and blue in this piece really sets off the red of the Fly Agaric's Red cap.

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What did you use to color this in? Watercolors? Acrylics? Either way, you did a stunning job at making it look convincing and bold.

Hi, thanks for the feedback! This painting was done using watercolours, but to be honest, it was before I was using high grade paint, so this particular painting is a bit muddy, and not my favourite. It really makes a huge difference if you use quality materials, but I am really glad you like this piece nevertheless.
Thanks again!

Wow... for using lowish-grade watercolors you did a great job with making it look thick. I'm currently struggling with watercolors, partly since I have no training and also becuase of my lack of suitable materials. And, I might have asked this before, but what kind of paper did you use? Yeah, I know, I'm always begging for advice...

Hi... the paper I use is good, heavy textured watercolour paper. I use a variety of different colours, ranging from pure white to greys, pale blue, pale ochre and eggshell.. that sort of thing. It can really give a painting a certain rich quality using coloured paper, as it automatically blends all your colours together if you paint with translucent washes. Finally, I pick out highlights with white gouache, and this really shines out of the painting, adding that last bit of detail.

Regarding training with watercolours, all you have to do is NOT try and control the paint on the paper too much. Let IT flow where it wants to, and dry in whatever way it wants to, and all you have to do is sort of tag along for the ride! Have a dry brush and a tissue to hand, so you can apply wet paint and then dab at it right away to create interesting textures. You can then use a small brush with less watered down paint to 'pick out' detail around these blotches in the watercolour washes when they've dried. Basically, do a lot of playing around, get to know what the paint can do, and how it behaves, let IT teach you how to paint with it, and your own inventiveness will fill in the rest! Have fun dude!

Wow... I can't thank you enough! I've been using normal paper with one fine brush and 8 colors for all of my stuff, but now you've introduced me tons new ideas and materials I'd never even thought of using... I wish there was some way I could make it up to you!!! Thank you sooo much!

Hey, if I can help, I'm more than happy. Proper watercolour paper really will make a world of difference to your work, ask at your local art store. In case you're interested, there are a number of ways of preparing water-colour paper.. I used to soak it for 5 minutes totally immersed in water, but I don't bother doing that anymore.. instead I stick a dry sheet of paper to a wooden board using that 'gummed' brown tape you can get. I then loosely splash water over the surface, pressing down the gummed tape if the 'bubbling' paper forces it up, and sometimes I might even apply a bit of paint while it's in that wet state. (The colour bleeds into the paper giving it a nice tonal base... another interesting thing to play with. I also use my old toothbrush dipped in paint, and I use my thumb to spray random blobs and spots all over the paper. Again, you can immediately use a bit of tissue paper to dab off any spots you don't want, or to rub the paint into the paper... dude, the possibilities are endless. I would say, gather as many different tools, brushes, pens, paints and other such things, and just see what sort of effects you can get with things. In fact, look around your house for the oddest impliment you can think of, and try to use it in your painting.. I'm not suggesting the results will always look cool, but you'll have a lot of fun, and you never know what crazy thing will introduce you to a new technique..... At the end of it all, you HAVE to have fun. If you don't, your work will show it.

Yay the stereotypical fairytale (poisonous) mushroom!

I'd love to see one someday.

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For any shred of talent or creativity I have, the glory belongs to God.

Very nice series of mushrooms! it is very good taste ....

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A hand crosses the door, thin thin to suffer from it, other hands play charts, over there over there in the airs, others encor desert the great trouble from the sky. (R.Queneau)