Handmade paper Seascape Painting Process continued

Handmade paper seascape sculpture (2010).  22 x 11 x 3 (framed in custom made shadow box stained oak frame under glass).  250.00.

This photograph shows the painting immediately after over-beaten pulp has been added.  The pulp is still wet, thus the shinny reflection on the surface.  I add several colors at once, unblended, for the sandy path.  The unblended colors allow for a more natural appearance (sandy versus too smooth and over-worked).  The trick to working from nature is to let the subject breath through the work.  Never try to direct the painting too much.  Allow the work to have a voice of its own as it moves toward the completed state.  This can be tricky for novice artists who want to test the boundaries of their talent.  But, leaving a work slightly unfinished and raw encourages the viewer to participate more in the painting and gives them an idea of how the creative process works.