So often people want to know my painting process. Most times they are captivated by the fact that the images I create are rendered in watercolor pigments. They comment that my work is so vibrant, so colorful, so powerful. Teaching myself, I discovered techniques that lent themselves to the overall effect of pure colors and rich tones. The second response is usually to the fact that these watercolor pigments are done on canvas, a tightly woven portraiture linen primed with an alkaline primer. This primer was developed for use in the giclee print process. It was researching the print process that I discovered this fact and immediately ordered a roll of canvas to experiment with. I was instantly hooked. One must only break down the factory "sizing" with a gentle wash of mild soapy water. I use a product called Simply Awesome, available at most stores.  If I am composing a piece, I sketch the composition with an SoHo Ebony graphite pencil. This is the best I have found for my work because it cleans off with water and "drags" well. Let me explain dragging. I use a fine tip round brush dipped in clean water, sized #2 to #12 depending on size of work. I go over each pencil line with this, allowing run and bleed to do its magic and establishing shading and shadowing from line edges out to center of shape. I set this work aside to dry naturally. One can shoot across the canvas with a hair dryer but excess water will travel. One can tamp this up but I like the natural drying effect better. When the sketch wash is dry I can then begin to add color washes. Watercolor work is traditionally done from the lightest, most transparent color to the darkest, most opaque: opposite of oil or acrylic. I can flood the piece with gamboge for a bright yellow underpainting or with a mauve for a darker underpainting. I will often do a combination so I can enhance the gradient shades. Whatever one uses, it is good to remember this is the first stain on the canvas and is difficult to remove. It shifts all the layers of color applied above it. A delicious phenomenon when used for dramatic effect! I let this dry naturally also. In the third phase of construction, I hit the "zone" and begin assembling colors all over the canvas. Starting with skin tones, I work right to left (being left-handed, I am forever swiping freshly laid wet paint... Oh well.) I apply the tones of Naples Yellow, Vermillion, and Mauve from highlight to shadow. I allow to dry. I then take brushes or small squares of cutup t-shirt and, much like applying

make-up, I blend the colors. This gives me smooth skin tones with gradient shading and shadowing. The eyes and lips are still blank, but I am beginning to recognize my characters. Once this phase dries, I flip the canvas upside down and move to the lips and eyes. This is much detail and I invite the reader to expand the images and research the eye/lip work. Hint: do eye shadow and Iris color first; pupils last. Moving from the creation of the characters, I begin to use all my color theory lessons to place the large color blocks. I clean brushes and palette with each color. I apply a coat and lift it off. I reapply for two or three stains. You'll often hear me say, "I paint a painting seven or eight times." The last pigment I apply is the pure Indigo for the rich black accent color blocks I use for drama. Don't forget the pupil and mascara!