Original Watercolor Paintings, prints and note cards - Still Life, and Florals in Realism

Christmas Tree Cat Watercolor- Step by Step

1. This painting is done from a combination of photos of my cat and several christmas trees. First the image is drawn in pencil on the paper. Then I masked the large areas of the cat, ornaments and lights with a brush and masking fluid. Then yellow was painted around the lights. After the paint dried, I used a masking pen to make the fine lines around the lights. (The masking pen is blue, the regular masking fluid is yellow.)
2. The first wash of sap green/yellow-green and a bit of the dark back-ground. After it dries, the first layer of pine needle masking is applied.
3. and another layer
3. and another layer (each getting progressively darker)
4. The masking is all removed. At this point I realized I used too much masking on the first layer.
5. Working on the cat.
6. Ornaments and smoothing out some of the hard edges from the masking. Because this painting is from a combination of photos, I am making up the highlights and shadows as I go. Let's just say, I learned a lot from this one!
7. More smoothing (with water and small hard bristled brush) of edges. Also added more dark pine needles and darkened the ornaments.