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Artist Creates Watercolor Paintings on Location and Aligns Them with Actual Landscape

Elena Efremova uses watercolor painting as a unique way to showcase the places she has traveled and lived. Originally from Russia, the artist resides in Marseille, France but is currently in Stockholm, Sweden. No matter her location, though, Efremova takes the time to create detailed renderings of her surroundings and then aligns those paintings with the actual scenery. She snaps a picture of this arrangement, adding a playful, handcrafted touch to what could've been an ordinary landscape photo.

Efremova says that she produces these paintings in plein-air, meaning she takes her supplies with her and produces the artwork on location. Because she does this, her compositions have an added benefit of time. Efremova is able to soak up the essence of a locale–be it a cityscape, ocean view, or the mountains–and reflect it in her artwork, which has the carefree fluidity and spontaneity that perfectly complement the use of watercolor pigments.

Elena Efremova: Instagram | Behance
via [The Khooll]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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