Chris Campbell Watercolors: Masa Paper Pumpkin Basket

The reference photo for this was from Jen Green on Paint My Photo. I also had students look at other pictures of pumpkins, gourds, for inspiration for their individual paintings.

I drew this on masa paper. Draw on the rough, not smooth, side. Make sure your pencil marks are dark enough to see. This is different from other papers. You WANT to see your drawing, because, as you wet the paper, the graphite will disappear. (sometimes I have done the drawing with fine pen)

I made several changes. I took out the barn in the background. I wanted to keep it simple so that people could add their own elements--gourds, other veggies, etc. -- to personalize it.

I began this as I do most of my masa paper paintings: first drawing while it's flat; second, wrinkle and wad up the paper; third, soak the paper. I lay it on a towel to soak up excess water--then on a paper towel while I am painting wet on wet. (A doggie pad is great)

Then I lay in wet washes of color, trying not to get caught up on what object is blue, what is orange, etc. Usually I begin with one of every primary and let the colors mingle on the paper.

I try to be very free with color, to allow it all to blend together. (you can see how blue got onto two of the pumpkins. I like doing that.) I only get specific with color if one area MUST be white or yellow.

I blew it all dry, then started painting some of the positive shapes.

I haven't glued down my work yet. You can see I've improvised on the objects...some small gourds on the bottom left; changing apples and leaves to green gourds in the basket. I do as much painting as possible before mounting on a piece of paper or board.

This paper tends to "pill", so be gentle with it. I made a field of flowers where the barn was.

Those are made by negative painting greens around spots where there was already some background pinks and yellows (from my original washes.).

YOU HAVE TO DRY the painting each time you want to work on it. Otherwise you will rip it, or the layers will never get darker.

I noticed that the area of flowers seemed too thick and unyielding. I thought of my stencils

that we used on the printing project. So I lay one of the stencils over the flower area, gently rubbed some damp Mr. Clean sponge, and picked up some new white areas.

Gluing the painting down:

My favorite glue of choice is YES paste, but you can use matte medium, which is archival, or any white glue if you don't care if it is archival or acid free. Glue it to paper, board that has been gessoed, or your choice. I put glue on the board, then lay the painting over it. Cover it with wax paper, then start pressing it down, beginning at the center and working outward to the ends.

When it is completely dry, you can continue working on this. Some people prefer to work on it after the bumps are worked out and it feels flatter. You will be able to get some detail work in, or add some pastels or pen if you like.

After I glued this down, I did a few enhancements with pastel: Highlights on some of the pumpkins; pumping up some of the flower colors; making some straw on the bottom.