How to: Winter Night Tree

1. Paint the background first. Paint random spots of red liquid watercolor all over the paper. Then paint large swatches of blue paint on the paper as well, leaving areas of paper white. If you have another shade of blue liquid watercolor paint, use that as well. Then paint with just water, to blend the different colors together. Don’t blend too much though; the variance in color and value make the background more interesting. Let it dry completely.

2.  Draw the tree in pencil first on the blue background. Create a trunk that ends in about the middle of the paper. Draw 2-3 large branches off that trunk. Create smaller branches off those branches with the smallest being the wispy, finger-like new growth of a tree. Paint that tree now in black. You might need more than one coat on the trunk of the tree. Remember to use just the tip of the brush for the fine tiny branches at the top of the tree.

3. With white paint, paint in random stars on the background. Remember to vary the size of your white dots just as there are smaller and larger stars in the sky. Possibly cluster some together as well, again using just the tip of the brush. Optional: Paint some white snow on the branches.