4. Edge to Edge Painting on Wet Paper

Wet the Paper
Generously apply plain water to the back and then to the front of the page with a large brush. Rita is using a hake brush in this picture but any larger brush can be used. Allow the water to sink in for 10 minutes or so.



Painting the Background
She used a larger bush for this as this seems to work best for this type of expansive background on a very wet surface. Since the surface is so wet, the paint easily travels in the water. So, after painting in the desired colours, she went back into each area and streaked in some different shades–a darker blue, a yellowish green.
These other shades blend themselves into the background creating some interesting colour variations.


Painting the Subject

Painting Subject While Background is Still Wet
To create a blurry, fuzzy effect rather than a defined effect, the background could be damper when the foreground subjects are painted. In the “Flowers” painting, the background was still wettish and you can see how that creates a different look.
You can experiment with different degrees of damp/wet background to see what effects occur. Have fun!