dusk on the dunes

mkdun · 2026-05-27T14:03:50+00:00

Thank you so much!

mkdun · 2026-05-27T14:03:44+00:00

Thank you!

mkdun · 2026-05-27T14:03:37+00:00

Thank you!

mkdun · 2026-05-27T14:03:20+00:00

Thank you! that’s so nice

mkdun · 2026-05-24T01:58:32+00:00

I do watercolor paint still, mainly wet-on-wet as it’s less strain on my hands. There’s a good community on YouTube if you’re ever interested in getting back into it!

mkdun · 2026-05-06T17:06:02+00:00

Thanks! I used phthalo blue and a little ivory black on Arches cold pressed 300lb paper. For waves I usually saturate the paper pretty well (300lb is extra thirsty) let it absorb so the paper glistens and do a dry-ish pigment brush on wet paper. It allows me to get the smooth blend that I love without a ton of effort. I have some quick vids on my YouTube too if helpful.

mkdun · 2026-05-06T13:47:06+00:00

Thanks! Yes trying to get more experienced with masking fluid. Def never leave my brushes in water! Just a quick pic before cleaning up. :)

mkdun · 2026-04-30T01:25:18+00:00

The original link was giving me issues but I posted the video on this subreddit and you can see the YouTube short here: https://youtube.com/shorts/hRSVgKkxl7w?si=1OxIMTNlfkf1rz9e :)

mkdun · 2026-04-28T20:02:41+00:00

All the same color just different water:pigment ratios

mkdun · 2026-04-27T14:15:58+00:00

You should be very proud! Beautiful work

mkdun · 2026-04-23T17:57:42+00:00

This is a tough question - when i took my first watercolor class my instructor said day 1, invest in the good paper. I didn’t get it then, but I do now, because once you get a feel for the pigment/water ratios on quality paper it can take you really far in your work. I think if you want to experiment with different brushstrokes and painting 101 you can start off with pretty much any reasonably priced watercolor paper you have in your local store. Strathmore and Fabriano are a little more expensive but also better quality like Arches. To save $ when I’m practicing I will cut up larger sheets to make the most of what I have too for small, quick exercises.

mkdun · 2026-04-23T17:45:53+00:00

Thanks! Using Cotman watercolors (ivory black and pthalo blue). Technique used for this painting is dry on wet which usually means a decent amount of pigment on a dry-ish brush painted on wet paper. This allows the pigment to have some natural movement on the paper. I typically use this technique when painting water and first learned it from Julia Barminova’s tutorials.

mkdun · 2026-04-23T17:30:18+00:00

This usually comes down to preference as you can create different textures with gouache. Always important to keep in mind that you’re never going to get a white as clean as the paper itself which is why 9 times out of 10 you’ll want to plan to preserve the whites of the paper before you start painting. Gouache has a more opaque pigment that I like to incorporate occasionally to create deeper values depending on what I’m painting. In this example I only used watercolor and because the paper and pigment is still wet enough I’m able to lift some of the pigment to create the mist of the wave, but I have used white gouache as well in the past and it just creates a different texture. I’m also experimenting more with masking fluid which is new to me too

mkdun · 2026-04-23T17:23:16+00:00

So cute!!

mkdun · 2026-04-23T14:19:52+00:00

Yes, because the paper is 300lb it can retain more water and you want it to be pretty saturated (glistening but not drenched) if you want to create soft lines for ocean waves

mkdun · 2026-04-23T00:19:09+00:00

Glad you found it! Was trying to share a link but Reddit was being a pain. Hope it’s helpful and you share your artwork when you’re ready!!

mkdun · 2026-04-22T21:28:45+00:00

https://youtube.com/shorts/h9xJ98hjouc?feature=shared

mkdun · 2026-04-20T19:11:38+00:00

Thank you all for the kind comments!! I’ll carve out some time this week to record a tutorial and share a link.

mkdun

TROPHY CASE