“When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.”
– St. Francis De Sales
Aquarium View
7.5″ x 11″ Acrylic & Watercolor on Watercolor Paper
I started this painting with acrylic, as I intended to do a watercolor wash to finish it. I could have used masking fluid, except I don’t get along very well with masking fluid.
So here it is after I completed the acrylic.
And after I added the watercolor.
I had a lot of fun painting this, except when I got a little dizzy from painting all those leaves. It was almost like doing pointilism. It makes my eyes go cross-eyed!
The reference photo is by Crystalline174 at WetCanvas. The funny thing about this painting is that my husband actually likes it. That’s weird. he he 
About St. Francis De Sales
St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622), known as the Gentle Saint, was bishop of Geneva. His motto was, “He who preaches with love preaches effectively,” and his religious texts, including Introduction to the Devout Life, have resonated with many non-Catholics. Pope Pius IX proclaimed him a patron saint of writers. Some consider him a patron saint of the deaf; he invented a form of sign language to teach a young deaf man how to communicate.
I was just thinking “how the hell did she paint all those little leaves without going crazy” when I read what you wrote about the leaves!
I also looked at the reference photo and man oh man, you have some eye. How you got your beautiful painting out of that very dark photo is amazing.
Thanks, Carol! Yeah, the leaves made me crazy! I did brighten the reference up a bit in photoshop so I could see more of the detail.
I love it! I have never used the acrylic/watercolor combination in this way. I love the back ground and all the color and movement. It made me smile!
Thanks, Linda! I’m sure there’s some purist out there saying it shouldn’t be done. But, I kinda like breaking the rules.
A fish, a fish, I wish to be a fish, but if a fish, I was to be, a shark at sea, is the fish I would want be, so other fish wouldn’t bother me!
O.K. Dr. Suess I’m not, but I gave it a shot! (can’t stop the rhyming)
Cool painting and great technic, I’ll have to give that a try.
I love your rhyming. You always make me smile, Ryan! Thanks!
I like this, too. I think it is because you combined the two different looks of watercolor and acrylic. I think the acrylic makes your solid things more solid and then you came in with watercolor and made a glow. I like looking at all the stages. Not only did you have leaves on seaweed, there are a million bubbles. Pointillism offers a unique look but whoa! is it tedious!
Thanks, Leslie. I like the way you put that about solid things more solid and watercolor for the glow. Cool!