Painting a mouse

Painting a mouse

Hi I have had a busy few weeks, and I seem to find myself teaching and doing workshops more and more, which leaves less time for painting . However meeting people and showing them my love for watercolour has been a joy. They have said ( to my face at least) that they have enjoyed what I have had to teach them, and I try in a small way to pass some of that on to you through my blogs.

I certainly don't profess to be an expert but I think, we all ( myself included) like to see how other people do things, then we can use what they show us and progress a little bit further with our painting. Take the bits you like and pop them in your own toolbox then add your own style and see what happens

Today I painted a little mouse, here is what I did.....

Firstly I drew him on a small piece of watercolour paper. i use Bockingford

 

 

Next I used a paperclip dipped in masking fluid to draw in the whiskers 

 

 

Then I began on the eyes of the little mouse. I use a small brush as you can see and under-paint in cerulean blue , leave some white of the paper too so there is light in his little eyes. 

 

I next use a mixture of sepia and indigo, to create an 'almost' black colour and use this to create the darks of his eyes, carefully blending so some blue shows through.

I also use this colour for the pupils

 

Next the ears, all done wet in wet I use a mixture of cadmium red and cobalt blue , which I use as a shadow colour . I wet the ears first with water, then drop the shadow colour where I want the darker areas

 

 

Now the nose and around it , I used a weak cadmium red and the shadow colour where the fur was whit, to add in the chin.

The fur itself is yellow ochre and burnt umber , look carefully where the browns are and the white fur.

Paint what you see not what you think is there.

Then carry on , using the shadow colour to add definition in the white areas

I also added some signature slpots and splashes.

the feet and hands were done with cadmium red and a touch of cobalt blue, and i added some indigo in the background and the shadow colour to give him something to stand on

 

 

Then just to rub out the masking fluid , and he is done x

 

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8 comments

Lovely detailed information lots of handy hints and a gorgeous finished mouse

Jo Hopgood

I am disabled but love to paint (badly)!!

Do you have either a book or some way that I could learn from you? ( I adore mice!)

Regards. Susie

Susie

Thank you so much for your wonderful blog and beautiful paintings. So inspirational. Would love, sometime in the future obviously to attend your classes, if you are hosting any.

liz roberts

Hi Rachel, I absolutely adore your paintings. You are truly gifted. Your style is my favorite. I am trying to follow your tutorials. Haven’t had a ton of luck yet but will keep pushing through! I have one question. On your background for your mouse, do you wet the paper and drop in the paint? The texture looks incredible whatever the process is! Thank you so so much for sharing your steps. Blessings from Bend, Oregon

Kathy

You are awesome…..rachel. I started painting 4 months ago just by chance and found that it started to heal me and liberate me. thank you for the lovely tutorial and all effort that goes into the making of a blog….lots of love and God bless

Christina Jha

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