Holiday Card Project

This year I'm participating in Holiday Card Project . The purpose of the project is to create physical holiday cards for people who are hospitalized during the holiday season, helping to bring a smile to the faces of those who may need some holiday cheer.

The cards will be distributed to both U.S. and international hospitals. Some cards will be delivered in-person in the areas of the respective hospitals, while other cards will be distributed by hospital staff members. The patients who receive the cards age in range from children to seniors, and have illnesses or injuries that vary from mild to terminal.

Everyone can participate. The Holiday Card Project accepts cards from all people who are willing to contribute to a good cause. The Project is a great way for schools, clubs, church groups, or family and friends to get together and work on a fun activity.

Below is my watercolor card

Halloween Night

Complementary colors look very pleasing to human eye. That's why it is good to check out the color wheel before coloring the painting. This one was made with my favorite pair: blue and orange. For blue I used French ultramarine only, for orange part I used regular orange plus yellow ocher, burned umber and burned sienna. Black color was achieved by mixing burned umber and French ultramarine. To preserve white of the paper I masked the candle flame and nearby highlights.
First wash was done in wet in wet technique because it let me create soft edges between colors. The devil like shadow behind the mouse was created this way. With the next steps I gradually went darker and darker with details. The outside of the picture was painted with bold brush strokes softened occasionally with clear water. People naturally look for the light that's why in this composition I created tunnel like filling with the brightest element - the fire in the middle.
On my sketch below you can see that the mouse have different look. My daughter said that the mouse needs to be cute and she redesigned the head for me. My daughter is a cute expert so I decided to trust her. I love you Justyna :)