Throwback Thursday – American Toad & Dwarf Lake Iris (Transparent Watercolor)

American Toad & Dwarf Lake Iris (7x10in Transparent Watercolor)
American Toad & Dwarf Lake Iris (7 x 10-inch Transparent Watercolor)

Michigan has great diversity in its animals and plants. Some are very common and can be found in many states, while others are incredibly rare.

The American Toad is a common species. I’ve seen them my whole life. Their fantastic bumpy skin and muted colors made for a painting challenge in watercolor. To get the texture of the toad, you have preserve the white of the paper while painting around hundreds of little shapes. This is the sort of thing that might drive others crazy, but I enjoy detail work.

The Dwarf Lake Iris is an endangered plant. These beautiful, tiny plants can almost exclusively be found along the Great Lakes shoreline in the state of Michigan.

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