The tiles and ornaments in the Janet Wissmann Collection are reproductions of original portraits painted with transparent watercolor.
”Transparent watercolor is a truly amazing and unique medium. It’s clean, non-toxic, and environmentally sound...Transparent watercolor paintings are often very light and washy when the paints are applied quickly and loosely with big brushes and lots of water. My technique is a little different. I DO begin by blocking in the shape of the animal with a light wash or two, but then I switch to a hair-by-hair approach as more and more layers of paint are added. Each additional layer of paint is a bit darker than the previous layer, and this slow layering of paint is what gives the painting its depth and clarity. A finished portrait may have as many as twenty layers of paint in the darker areas and one or two layers in the lightest areas. White paint is almost never used except for highlights in eyes or whiskers.
