Last spring I visited New Orleans for the French Quarter Music Festival. My latest watercolor painting is based on one of many photos I took of our trip.

Here is a slide show of my work in progress. As you’ll see, it started as a big mess! I protected the white of the paper with tape and scrap paper. I wanted the transparent colors to show through the background, so I started with bright, bold colors. The background took 5 washes, because I wanted it to be as smooth and even as possible. I think large, even washes are one of the hardest things to master in watercolors! I then worked one area at a time, while protecting the background with scrap paper. Willie’s sign also had many layers of watercolor, as I tried to make it as bright as possible. Painting the wires was last, and the easiest to do!