Watercolor on Aquabord of Monet's Lilies in Giverny

Monet's Lilies - L.Watry ©2014

I just finished this painting of waterlilies from an image that I took during our trip to France and Monet's gardens in Giverny.

This painting was done on Aquabord. If you haven't painted on Aquabord, it is a fun surface. The clay of the Aquabord gives the painting a matte feeling compared to watercolor paper. It is very easy to lift on Aquabord, however I sometimes still use a little masking if I want to save an area to keep totally white.

I started the painting by using transfer paper to get my drawing onto the board. You can draw directly on the board too. After I had the drawing ready, I used a little masking for the bubbles in the water and to save a few of the edges of the lily pads to paint later. I then began painting from the top or background of the water down. I painted the dark background water wet-in-wet and later went back after this area had dried and lifted a few more lines of the lights.

I used Daniel Smith quinacridone rose and a little opera to paint the pink lilies and various mixtures of cobalt, ultramarine blue, aureolin yellow, new gamboge, green-gold, and olive green to paint most of the green leaves. Parts of the undersides of some of the leaves also have some of the quiacridone rose in them.

Layering on Aquabord is more difficult than on regular watercolor paper, but it is possible. You need to keep your brush sort of floating over the surface and don't get scrubby with it or you will move the lower layers.

I will finish this painting on Aquabord by sealing it with 4 or 5 coats of Krylon's archival matte finish sealer. Then it will be ready to frame without glass.