This gesso background was with a palette knife, but kept reasonably flat and specialized in limited areas. Fewer ridges are apparent.

  Notice that all hues are modified with brown and purple blending reducing the number to only 3 hues, blue, purple and green and 2 neutrals, brown and black.

  The background mountains were made to contain more palette knife pockets so that the darker hues would have more emphasis in that area.

  A very rough application suited this painting well, accenting the sky, branch, plant and rock textures. Even the colorful snake has interesting body indentations of light and deep color.

  Therefore, one has the options of all-over or partial palette knife application, and brush with some or no degree of surface texture for the background.

  This process of "eraseable" watercolors is a most enjoyable one to do. So many other experiments can be incorporated into the gesso application like sand or coarse salt, torn white paper or fabric fibers, and embossed textures or scrafitto tools. Any of these might make an interesting experiment for a "follow-up" painting at another time.

  One final thought--to make the paintings no longer "erasable," simply spray them with an acrylic clear matt or gloss coating when finished. That's it!