Banana Project – Experimenting with Watercolor Through Shapes & Layering
The Banana Project
The Banana Project is the ultimate antidote to creative procrastination: quick, fun, and imperfect watercolor challenges once a month, designed to get you moving. No pressure, no masterpiece required—just you, your materials, and a few ideas to bring a splash of color to your day.
Watercolor is a magical medium—fluid, unpredictable, and full of surprises. In this exercise, I invite you to explore color layering, translucent gradients, and rounded abstract shapes to spark your creativity—no pressure, just fun!
✨ Step 1: Choosing the Right Palette & Daring to Contrast
For this session, I picked the She’s A Rainbow palette, a handcrafted watercolor set with striking contrasts. The goal? Working with a mix of deep and vibrant shades to create a rich, harmonious effect.
🎨 Step 2: Creating a Transparent First Layer
I started by laying down irregular shapes with rounded edges and blending a gradient from yellow to bright green, transitioning into a deep green, and finishing with a soft, shimmering gray. At this stage, the outcome was uncertain… but with watercolor, trusting the process is key!
🔥 Step 3: Layering Colors for More Depth
Once the first layer was completely dry:
- I added light blue in rounded shapes to fill in spaces and play with watercolor’s transparency.
- Then, I intensified the contrast with deep pink, using smaller rounded shapes to test the layering effect and see how the pigments interacted.
💡 The Result: A Vibrant & Modern Watercolor
What surprised me the most? This is one of the softest palettes in my collection, yet the final result is bright, dynamic, and almost reminiscent of an abstract textile pattern!
🚀 Your Turn to Try!
Want to experiment with this technique and explore watercolor painting in a playful way? Go for it! Share your creation with #BananaProject—I can’t wait to see your take on it!
Soyons fous 🍌