The last few weeks have definitely been quite hectic for Eve and I and the time we spend together creating I have truly treasured. It is a magical moment of peace and creative ideas where anything is possible. For this particular painting, "The Forest," Eve was quite chatty while drawing and described the trees she was drawing and how it was raining.

Now, I love landscapes just as much as the next person, but if I am painting them I definitely prefer acrylic. Acrylic is forgiving and has more depth so I usually avoid using watercolor for landscapes by sticking in my comfort zone and use acrylics.

That being said, one of the magical things about this collaboration process is the amount it has pushed me out of my comfort zone and let Eve teach me new ways of painting. I promised myself to paint a rainy, wooded forest in under 30 minutes to prevent myself from getting too focused on the details and also accept my mistakes as creative accidents. For the rain itself all I had to do is dip my fan brush in water and stroke downward to create a light rain. The ink pen that Eve uses turns into a blue tinged grey when wet and takes on it's own form quite easily. I am learning how to use this in my favor and if I am not careful it can definitely over power any other colors or shapes being used, as well as destroy Eve's initial lines. (It's a learning process that's for sure!)

In Eve's drawing, right in the center, I could see a very light pen mark that curved over and under. I decided to turn it into a bridge where I would later add two lovers hiding under a red umbrella, sharing a romantic moment hidden in peace. The light mist gives it a whimsical feel and I can almost feel the humidity and refreshing breeze that is filled with the invigorating smell a forest gives after a fresh rain.

"The Forest" tries to capture a hidden moment between to lovers as they embrace each other under an umbrella, taking cover from the light rain. As they stand on the bridge, soaking in all the invigorating smells of a forest after a fresh rain, it becomes a beautiful, peaceful moment where they can truly appreciate the beauty of each other and their surroundings.

As all of our collaborations start, Eve created her own sketch with an ink pen which I then use to turn into a watercolor painting. The sketch is completely her own with no instruction given from me, I simply use her creativity to inspire me to create a painting.