Painting Esquie from Clair Obscur Expedition 33: A Watercolor Journey

Hi, I'm Valerie Englehart, and today I'm sharing the story behind one of my most ambitious watercolor paintings to date. When Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched with minimal fanfare but maximum impact, I found myself captivated by its beautiful scenery, character designs, and—dare I say—its overwhelmingly French aesthetic. The game's whimsical giant character, Esquie, stole my heart, and I knew he'd be perfect for a Games Done Quick painting.

Starting Big: The Largest Canvas I Could Find

This wasn't going to be a small, delicate piece. I pulled out my size 16 squirrel mop brush—yes, you read that right—because I was working on the largest block of paper I could buy: 18 by 24 inches of Arches rough press. This brush is massive and holds an incredible amount of water, which is exactly what I needed for creating sweeping washes across such a large surface.

Even with the recording sped up 300%, this painting took multiple sessions over several days. The original recording was over two hours, but I've condensed it so you can follow along without watching every single brushstroke. Trust me, moisture control with a brush this big is crucial—I constantly had to squeeze out excess water by hand.

Setting the Foundation: My Favorite Wash Technique

I began with one of my favorite techniques: laying down a colorful wash over the entire paper. This creates beautiful textures and makes it easier for me to reference shapes since I don't sketch first. For this background, I kept things relatively simple with just three colors:

• Rockwell Art Palaiba Diamond Blue for the background• Daniel Smith Quinacridone Burnt Orange for where the main subject would be• Daniel Smith Rose of Ultramarine toward the bottom for warmth without overwhelming brightness

I placed my colors deliberately. The blue would recede into the background, the orange area would hold the majority of Esquie's form, and the purple at the bottom would support the composition while keeping the eye focused on the middle of the piece.

The Magic of Salt and Gravity

Of course, I added salt—I can't help myself. I used a mix of kosher table salt and silk Jacquard salt for varied textures. Because I paint on an angle, all the water flows to the bottom, so I periodically lifted the paper to redistribute the flow and mopped up excess water.

Here's a truth about all that beautiful salt texture: most of it ended up covered by subsequent layers. Did I need it? Probably not. But it helps me place my shapes and adds depth to the foundation, even if only hints of it show through in the final piece.

Building Esquie: Layers Upon Layers

Once the background dried (yes, I turned the painting upside down at one point), I began building Esquie with Bloodstone Genuine by Daniel Smith. This created the dark, grungy, textured background that would make him pop. Even though this is a dark painting, it's incredibly warm, with lots of red tones throughout.

I pulled in Piemontite Genuine for those deep red-brown shadows, working with a flat Mimick brush (about three-quarters to a full inch wide). The big sweeping brushstrokes helped me create the folds of fabric on Esquie's garment. Those puffy sleeves required rounded brushstrokes with dark shadows in the creases and toward the edges, creating the illusion of dimensional forms.

A Touch of Green: Understanding Color Harmony

With all these red tones—the Piemontite Genuine, the Quinacridone Burnt Orange, the Perylene Violet—I needed some visual interest. That's where Daniel Smith Undersea Green came in. I added just a touch on the shoulder and in the crease on the left side.

But why this specific green? Here's my process: I noticed that most of my reds leaned moody and earthy, so I chose a warmer, moodier green to complement without clashing. I always test colors on scrap paper first—it's saved me countless times from color choices I'd regret on the big piece.

The Value of Testing (And Saving Your Ego)

Speaking of testing: before any major painting, especially one this large that uses significant amounts of expensive pigment, I create tiny mock paintings on scrap paper—maybe two by four inches. If I'm not excited about the colors in my little study, I won't be excited working on the large piece. And if I'm not excited, that lack of enthusiasm might come through to viewers.

This 18x24 inch Arches paper isn't cheap. These Daniel Smith paints aren't cheap. While I believe paint is only wasted if it stays in the tube, I don't want to waste materials unnecessarily or deal with the ego hit of starting something big and not liking it.

Working Large: The Advantage of Multiple Sections

This painting required more layers than I typically use. Working at this scale has its advantages, though. I could work on one section, move to another, and by the time I finished the second section, the first was dry enough to continue. I didn't need to take constant breaks.

The rough paper and my Mimick flat brush gave me excellent water control. I needed enough water to cover space but not so much that working at an angle would create muddy messes. Sometimes you just need to step back, let everything dry completely, and come back with fresh eyes.

Understanding Fabric Folds: Finding Order in Chaos

Fabric folds can look overwhelming and chaotic at first glance, but they typically follow patterns. In Esquie's case, he's leaning forward, so the garment folds almost in a V-shape toward the center. I wasn't too concerned about the very center because I planned to cover it with watercolor ground later anyway.

As I layered, I kept deepening shadows and making shapes more pronounced. I used my size 12 Silver Black Velvet brush (normally I use a size 8, but this painting demanded bigger tools) with the same colors over and over, building depth gradually.

The Beauty of Watercolor Transparency

Here's something crucial: I was careful not to completely cover my initial layer. Watercolor's transparency means you can still see where you started, and that's beautiful. Look at the top of Esquie—some of that blue still shines through, creating cooler colors that recede. Whenever I've covered everything completely and lost my initial layer, it bums me out.

Even when glazing sections (like when I felt the sleeve wasn't orange or red enough), keeping areas slightly watery lets those foundational colors shine through.

Watercolor Ground: Creating Dimension and Drama

For the gilded gold details on Esquie's outfit, I used watercolor ground with a ragged, split flat brush. Esquie is ancient, and fabric can be frayed—sometimes you don't want perfect, clean, and crisp. I deliberately used a brush I didn't care about because watercolor ground can damage brushes if you're not careful.

I'll confess: you're really supposed to let watercolor ground dry naturally for 24 hours. But I'm impatient. I used a blow dryer on the thin layers and kept going with brushes I could afford to sacrifice.

Esquie's Face: Porcelain and Texture

Esquie's head has a porcelain quality, so I wanted texture. I used an oval flat palette knife to scoop out Daniel Smith titanium white watercolor ground, keeping circular strokes for his round head. I had planned to use crackle paste for that weathered look—I was so excited—but when I opened the jar, it was completely dried out. Fuming, but committed, I continued with just the watercolor ground.

For the rectangular banner down his center, I used a flat angled palette knife with straight up-and-down strokes. The tool shape should match what you're creating.

Painting on Watercolor Ground: What You Need to Know

Watercolor ground creates a stark white surface compared to the dark, grungy rest of the painting. Once I covered it with Bloodstone Genuine, the pigment seeped into all those cracks and textures I'd created, making the dimension really pop.

Important note: watercolor ground isn't as absorbent as cotton paper. Colors dry much paler than you'd expect. I went in really dark multiple times, thinking I'd overdone it, only to have it dry and realize I could go darker. Don't be afraid to go bold with your values when working on watercolor ground.

The vertical texture from applying the ground thickly with a palette knife created an organic, uneven drying pattern when I painted the banner with Daniel Smith Rose of Ultramarine. I squeezed fresh pigment straight from the tube—it takes a lot to cover watercolor ground. Those little nooks and crannies needed filling, and the result was absolutely worth it.

Going for Gold: Layering Metallic Effects

The gold watercolor I had wasn't as bright or opaque as I wanted. Since Clair Obscur has such an art-based aesthetic—creatures modeled after drawing mannequins with paintbrush heads, the entire name being a painting term—I wanted everything to look painterly.

I used gold watercolor ground for the filigree, keeping loose, dry brush strokes. The radiating sun shape around his face required eyeballing those lines in various lengths. I'm not trying to be completely accurate—I'm giving my feeling, my take, my technique. As long as the feeling is right, most people won't count exactly how many rays there are or measure their angles.

To add more dimension, I layered liquid gold leaf over the gold watercolor ground. This gold was much colder in color, and the applicator worked like a nail polish brush. I kept broken strokes following that radiated form—not being precise, just following the energy of the piece.

The Finishing Touches: Eyes, Nose, and Character

Esquie's facial features are wonderfully simple: his eyes are thin rectangles, his nose and mouth are essentially triangles. The key was placing them properly in relation to each other. I paid close attention to my reference for positioning—how far up does the nose go? How wide is the mouth?

The textured watercolor ground made his nose look amazing without me even trying—it was already popping off the page. In the reference photo, the marks on his face are gray, but I hadn't used gray in my painting. I wanted warmth, so I used Piemontite Genuine instead. They look like little rosy cheeks, and I think it's perfect.

A Bravery Test: The 33 Expedition Band

Here's where I tested my courage. Esquie needed to wear a band on his head with the 33 patch showing he'd joined the 33rd expedition. The subtitle is Expedition 33, after all—it's important.

I globbed on thick watercolor ground with my palette knife, creating fabric folds. Then I scraped off a rectangle where the leather patch would go. After letting it dry for a full 24 hours (no blow dryer could handle that thickness), I painted the patch with Piemontite Genuine, went over the fabric with more gold watercolor ground, and used that same ground to paint in the number 33.

The painting was already looking good before this. I could have left it off. But what's art if we're not a little brave?

Lessons Learned: Trust the Process

This painting taught me several valuable lessons:

First, working large has distinct advantages. The ability to move between sections while areas dry kept me in creative flow without constant interruptions.

Second, watercolor ground is a game-changer for texture and dimension. Yes, it behaves differently than paper, and yes, you need to go bolder with values than you think. But the three-dimensional quality it creates—especially with those palette knife textures—makes the original artwork truly unique.

Third, layering takes patience. This piece required more layers than I typically use, and while it's tempting to rush, those layers are what create depth and richness. Each one matters, even if it gets partially covered.

Fourth, testing on scrap paper is worth every minute. It saves money, materials, and heartache. If you're not excited about your color study, you won't be excited about the full painting.

Finally, being brave pays off. That 33 band was a risk, but it completed the piece. Sometimes you have to trust your instincts and go for it.

Why Clair Obscur Captured My Heart

I listened to so many podcasts while creating this piece. The original process took hours over multiple days, but I savored every brushstroke. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a beautiful game with moving music, stunning scenery, and delightful comedic moments. It's overwhelmingly French in the best possible way, and Esquie—this giant, whimsical, sweet character—embodies everything I love about the game's aesthetic.

Creating fan art for Games Done Quick gives me the opportunity to celebrate games that move me. Even though my original tiger pirate painting wasn't needed for this event, discovering Clair Obscur and painting Esquie turned out to be exactly what was meant to happen.

The finished painting captures everything I wanted: warmth, texture, dimension, and that whimsical feeling Esquie brings to the game. The gold details shimmer, the fabric folds have depth, and his little porcelain face with rosy cheeks makes me smile every time I look at it.

Your Turn

Until next time, keep creating, keep experimenting, and remember: trust the process. Even when things look uncertain in the middle layers, it all comes together in the end.