I began by studying the lightest colours of the picture, which were in the laundry and the sky. In order to retain some white paper for the brightest parts of the washing, I decided to cut strips of masking tape instead of using masking fluid, which can often stick firm when spread over larger areas on rough, cotton paper.
Normally I would paint around a shape, but these shapes were numerous with a complicated background, so masking seemed an obvious choice and I was able to paint the background freely without having to work carefully around tight shapes. I used a small squirrel mop to apply semi-wet paint to the hills and distant field, ensuring the shapes didn’t blend or fuse too much. I worked into the wall, mixing colours on the paper and leaving some of the first wash as the light catching the top. I kept each shape damp, working next into the dark green shrub, then the small wall and the lawn, concentrating on the colours, shapes and values and using varying consistencies of paint. When the painting had dried, I used a size 4 squirrel mop brush to apply the cast shadows across the grass and with some thicker, stronger value paint I added the darks and details.
With the painting dry I removed the masking tape to reveal the crisp, white shapes of the washing. To prevent the masking tape from ripping the paper I warmed it with a hair dryer as I slowly peeled it off. The heat from the dryer softens the glue and releases the tape easily. With all the masking removed, I added some shade to the washing, softening edges with a small wet brush and leaving parts of the white to depict bright light.