"Libby's Favorite Palm" Original Watercolor Painting

This scene is based on a photo my sister took while we were on the long, slippery entrance ramp at the Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden outside of Hilo. This ramp is just the beginning, but there is so much to look at before you really even start the trail. She had this photo as her phone background for the longest time, and I decided it was worthy of being painted. 

My technique started with a watercolor background, which I layered on top with bold gouache foreground foliage. Gouache is a medium similar to watercolor, but it's thicker and more opaque. The darker details I added in with a calligraphy brush pen. 

Original Painting: 8 x 8 inches