Everything was going swell and we were having a time of our lives, but unknown to us we were heading into something so unexpected.
Isn’t the river beautiful?
That was what we were saying, as we moved along the road. And entranced with what we were looking at, I took another photo of the river. This is the photo I took just then:
Still engrossed with what we were seeing, we didn’t realize how dangerous the road ahead was!
Like I said:
In my last travel blog I said… `now the road started to dip lower…’
Do you remember me saying that?
We should have realized then…
Well, we didn’t really take notice of the road starting to go downhill, until it was too late. We didn’t even see a warning road sign beforehand, because we were so engrossed in the beauty of our surroundings.
Suddenly our car was in deep water. Would our car stall and get bogged down in the river?
Oh dear, what were we to do?
Well I wasn’t driving. Our daughter was. So while she put the car into proper gear, I quickly took another photo of the river.
Here is a watercolour I’ve done of it, for you to see:
By the angle of perspective, you can see we were deep in the river, in the deep dip in the road! It was a scary moment.
Lucky for us:
We managed to drive on through the river and up onto the opposite bank, here the road continued as if nothing was a problem!
Wow, what a relief. We were out! …And then we began to laugh. Oh, what a dramatic moment of excitement and tension. The water didn’t even come through under the car doors. Lucky us!
And to think, I had the cheek to take a photo in our moment of disaster! Actually our daughter had said, “Take a picture Mom!” She wanted something to remember the moment. So I did.
How I painted the watercolour:
Painting watercolours is a lot different to painting oil paintings, usually:
- Oil paints: You begin with blocking in basic shapes and building up dark colours. And then add the detail later.
- With Watercolours: You usually begin with very light washes of colour. Then filling the darker areas to create form, leaving the lighter areas and highlight spots. And watercolours are usually lighter than oil paintings.
But in this watercolour painting:
- I started by first assessing the composition and where the highlights would be.
- Then using masking liquid, I dabbed the paper with an eyedropper, to where I wanted highlights to be later.
- When the masking was dried, I laid in a light wash of colour, all over the masking too, to where it was needed to create the lighter areas of the scene.
- When that was dry, I filled in the darker areas and spots to create form. The timing of adding additional colours depends on how subtle you want the blurring or sharp the edges of your detail.
- When the basic of the painting was done and dry, I rubbed the masking off and filled in the colours of the highlights.
My style of working watercolours:
I often like to use masking this way, to create `bubble’ highlight and rim-light effects. It gives my art a somewhat impressionistic touch.
I always enjoy your travel and paintings. Kruger is my favourite park. Your today water colour painting. Really very interesting and wonderful. You are so hardworking lady. You are best artist. What a impressive combination of colours. Tress looks to much beautiful in the painting. Thanks for sharing. @artguru.
It's a pleasure to write and paint stuff, when I know you will come around and look. Thank you for your kind words.
I generally make the most of your movement and artworks. Kruger is my most loved stop. Your today water shading painting. Extremely exceptionally intriguing and awesome. You are so dedicated woman. You are best craftsman. What a noteworthy mix of hues. Tress looks to much delightful in the work of art.
You will notice that most of the painting is blurred, so the little highlights sing in the right places.
Beautiful painting. When I looked at the picture I swear I saw alligators in that river, big ones, so as i read along I was thinking, oh, my god these people are going to be attacked by alligators!
Then, you show us this peaceful pictorial representation and I had to go back and look for the gators.
Great technique. Thanks for sharing your process with us. I used to draw a bit. Have not done it in a while. Every day I say I will re-take it, but something comes up and I keep postponing it. I was never good with colors. Have to work on that.
Hehe! So sorry no alligators for you! :)
I love encouraging people to draw and paint.
Have you ever made a colour wheel with three primary colours? There are many colour scheemes. But an easy one is to use some colours on one side of the wheel (these colours harmonize together), then only take one colour across on the other side of the wheel (that's your contrasting colour). Play warn colours against cool colours to make you painting exciting.
:)
No, I have never done that. I will. Thanks for the tip
Oh my goodness that is insane and incredible and amazing! How crazy to see those monster crocs! They look massive, the rivers must have to many of them. I may be wrong, but I don’t think the croc population is quite as under threat as many other land species in Africa. What an amazing sight hey. Plus, your painting is captivating as always
Sorry those weren't crocs! They were stones. Well I thought there were!!!
Wow they sure do look like 2 crocs sitting there!
Such wonderful photos
I appreciate your post..
How insane to see those beast crocs! They look monstrous, the streams must need to a significant number of them. I might not be right, yet I don't think the croc populace is very as under danger the same number of other land species in Africa forestation. What an astonishing sight hello. Additionally, your work of art is spellbinding as usual..
Sorry no crocs in the painting.
Gorgeous post so mind blowing painting..
At that point, you demonstrate to us this serene pictorial portrayal and I needed to return and search for the gators.
Thanks for sharing the details and upvote and resteemit done
..
Sorry no gators either in the painting.
Incredible procedure. A debt of gratitude is in order for imparting your procedure to us. I used to draw a bit. Have not done it in a while. Consistently I say I will re-take it, however something comes up and I continue putting off it. I was never great with hues. Need to chip away at that.
Practice make perfect, but that require patience with yourself too.
Amazing and cool post!!
When I took a gander at the image I swear I saw crocs in that stream, enormous ones, so as I read along I was considering, goodness, my god these individuals will be assaulted by crocodiles!..
So thanks for sharing..
Sorry no repeated crocs allowed in the river!
And thanks, but what do you find so valuable here?