Mark's Desert- Canvas

This scene was inspired by a hike in Sabino Canyon where I took a lot of reference photos for future paintings. Before I started working, I prepped watercolor paper with two coats of gesso-- a white medium that turns clear once applied and is used as a base to seal the surface. This allowed me to “lift” watercolor from the paper, and add and subtract color, which is not usually possible with the medium. The added layer of gesso also created an interesting, crackled look. Total fun!

— Diana Madaras