DANIEL SMITH Ambassadeur de la marque Anders Andersson invites us into a different kind of watercolor demonstration — one that focuses less on step-by-step instruction and more on the quiet decisions that shape a painting from within. In this thoughtful look at his creative process, Anders shares how he builds depth, guides the viewer’s eye, and balances harmony with contrast while allowing the natural beauty of DANIEL SMITH EXTRA FINE Watercolor to unfold. Rather than chasing perfection, he reveals the mindset behind each layer, offering artists an inspiring glimpse into how intention, observation, and experimentation come together on the page.

Here is a demo that focuses more on how I think when I paint than on how to paint step by step.

I strive for as much depth in the image as possible. I think in three steps: a foreground, a middle ground, and a background. To get extra depth, I blur the background. I am extra careful when it comes to preserving the white areas.

I paint tree trunks. It is important that they do not all look the same and that the distances between them are different. The trunks should be a little thicker closest to the ground. It forces me not to repeat the shapes too much.

I try to achieve harmony in the painting by not using too many different colors. I think about how the shadows should be and strengthen some of them.

I paint the middle area wet-in-wet and observe how the pigments mix. I am careful not to mix the pigments too much with each other. It is easy to get a gray mess if you rub the pigments together. Be careful with your babies!

I want the foreground to be blurred, so I apply a thin layer of DANIEL SMITH Titanium White Gouache. I don’t want to contaminate my palette with opaque white, so I squeeze the paint directly onto a flat brush. I try to remember not to paint too much and that the eye should have a smooth, natural entry into the painting.

I look at the painting from a longer distance and think about whether I should add something or enhance something before I apply the last layer.

To add contrast, I enhance it with dark tones. These make the light parts stand out more and, if you’re lucky, you get a painting that sings.

I paint a few variations with different color combinations and experiment with the composition and extra details. I save the best one for exhibitions, the second best goes to the gallery owner, and the worst one works well for lighting the stove.