Happy New Year!
Here is the final painting! I went over many areas with some subtle washes to define and refine.
Now I have added a wash onto the apple. I used a slightly damp kitchen sponge to soften the white areas of the apple. After allowing that to dry, I applied another wet wash of Permanent Rose to tie the apple into one unit. I also, after the apple was dry, used VanDyke Brown and French Ultramarine Blue to add the details to shadow areas in the stem and shadow at the bottom of the apple.
I have added another glaze of French Ultramarine Blue onto the napkin. Each glaze creates a different value. Keeping the glazes wet and transparent adds to the eventual depth in the color.
Prussian Blue is used here in some of the shadow areas on the napkin, around the apple and in the shadow on the table under the napkin.
I have added some Permanent Alizarin Crimson to the apple and napkin. Alizarin Crimson is a cool red, so it works especially well in the shadow areas.
The technique used for the top of the flower pot is again used in the bottom of the flower pot. I have dropped VanDyke Brown into the very wet wash again to create shadow areas. This technique also helps to create the organic-look of water stains. On the left center of the pot I added a little water back into the damp wash to create a "bloom".
For this installment of the apple and napkin study, I want to get a glaze of color on the flower pot. I have mixed a very wet puddle on my palette of Burnt Sienna, VanDyke Brown and Quinicridone Gold. I applied this wash to the top of the flower pot and then, while the glaze was still wet, I applied some of the individual colors directly into the wash, in a wet-in-wet style. I used VanDyke Brown to emphasize the shadows directly under the leaves, being sure to apply it only to one side of the leaf to indicate a shadow. Remember, the light will usually be stronger from one direction, which will cast shadows in the opposite direction.
I like adding the colors directly into the wash when creating a flower pot because it replicates the various rust and water marks that usually exist on the clay pot.
Using both Hookers Green and Sap Green I have added some very simple shadow work to the leaf area. This area is not the focal point, so I have to work hard to keep it simple and loose. Because I just love those details I have a really hard time not going in there and painting every stem and vein.
It's time to add a wash of color to the background! I mixed some Indigo, with a little French Ultramarine Blue and a touch of VanDyke Brown. I started with a number 10 round brush and worked from the leaf area out toward the right edge of the paper. Once I worked around the leaves, I quickly picked up my one inch flat brush and completed the flat wash. I tried not to brush an area more than once. I applied a "row" of paint, then scooped up more pigment and just barely touched the brush to the already wet area, as I applied it to the next "row".
After completing the right side, I turned my paper around and used the same procedure to finish the left side. Remember that it's fine (and sometimes beneficial!) to turn your board as you go. Especially when working with large, wet washes, it is a good idea to allow gravity to move the paint around the wet area. It eliminates some of the brushwork, and helps the pigment to flow evenly. Notice that the value of the paint lightened quite a bit after drying!
For this section of the painting I have added a medium wash in French Ultramarine Blue to the napkin. The napkin is plaid, so I will have several washes to glaze on to make the total effect. I used a very wet wash and the puddles actually help to glaze shadow and texture in this wash. I used darker values behind the apple and on the edges of folds.
I have recently updated my How To Paint Trees in Watercolor Booklet. It is chock full of techniques, step-by-step instructions and photos for painting trees in watercolor. You can now purchase this little gem on my etsy webstore. If it's sold, just send me an email and I will post it again! You can either have it shipped as a booklet or you can have it sent to you as a pdf file and print it yourself.
The table now has the first glaze of color. I will add more details later. As I move around the painting I have decided to add a very wet wash of Aureolin Yellow and Sap green to the leaves on the plant at the top of the painting. Again, for my underpainting I have used a wet-in-wet wash. The blending of colors gives a lime-green look to the leaves. I dropped in the Sap Green in areas where I wanted to create the soft illusion of shadows. Later I will add more detail to this, but for now I am happy with the wash.
The first thing I do is wet the entire table area with lots of water. The water will keep the pigment edges soft and will allow any additional color I add to blend. Lots of water is required for this stage so the paper will stay moist and provide time to work. Keep the other areas of the image dry. For instance, I painted the clear water AROUND the apple and napkin.
Now, while this mixture is still wet, working quickly, I use my Number 12 Round Brush to add a fairly strong, yet wet solution of VanDyke Brown. I don't want this to totally blend in. I just want softened edges. This will provide a foundation for the look of wood grain on the table. I apply this mixture in "V" shapes to replicate the shades of the grainy wood.
like the look. It is important not to scrub the paint brush on the paper at this stage. I just want to use the brush to push the puddles around and to drop wet paint onto the wet surface.
I have a new painting in progress and I wanted to share it with you. I used two different photo references for this piece, both taken from my own "stuff". One photo references the apple, napkin, and the bottom of the flower pot. The other photo was my reference for the flowers in the container. I want to make the apple and the napkin the focal point. I would like to keep the composition very simple.
I washed water over the image of the apple, leaving the areas I want to keep white dry. As I flow pigments into the water, I work to avoid the dry areas so the whites will stay crisp and clean. I use Permanent Rose, Permanent Alizarin Crimson and Aureolin Yellow with only a little water. I don't need much water because the colors will be diluted in the water that I have already applied to the paper to control the wash area.
The finished painting!
I am just tweaking areas that can use depth. I continue to use the same colors used previously to glaze little washes throughout the painting. Each glaze, whether in the same color or a different color, will enhance the values and intensify the colors. Using subtle variations of soft and hard edges also adds depth and realism to the piece.
At this stage of the painting I have continued to add Burnt Sienna to areas of shadow in the stems, leaves and shadow areas. I have also used Hooker's Green to develop some of the shading in the lower leaves. Notice that I have used both hard and soft edges. To soften an edge I apply the green, then use plain water with a damp brush to touch the edge of the still wet paint. The pigment flows into the wet area and the edge softens. It's important to pull the water from the dry area into the wet pigment. If I pulled the water from the pigment out, I may cause a bloom, or I would just continue to pull the pigment out and still have a funny edge where the pigment dried.
This particular geranium had a beautiful dark variegation on the outside of the leaves. This was added with a brush-dance type of stroke (holding the brush straight up and down and using the point of the brush only), using a number 10 round brush with a good point and natural hair. I used Burnt Sienna for the color and I used it very wet. The water is what gives the variation in the values of the pigment. I painted this very wet onto the dry surface of the leaf. 
I have added a very wet, Sap Green wash to the leaf area. As I come close to the red bud at the bottom, I allowed the green to come over the red a very tiny bit to create a shadow where the green leaves surround the petal. I added small touches of Hooker's Green in some of the shadow areas to intensify the value. I allowed some water to spill into the bottom of the large clump of leaves in the center. I think the underpainting, when glazing like this, should have some variations in value and tone to add subtle depth and interest to the subsequent glazes.
This is the second installment of How to Paint a Red Geranium.
A few posts ago I showed a red geranium painting that I did with my students. I thought it would be fun to show you how that painting was developed.
My watercolor classes begin this week in Melbourne, Florida! I taught for several years in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan. Since we have moved it has taken a little time to get my classes going, but things are falling into place. Classes are still small right now. From my experience in the past I know they will grow. This is a good time to get in a class with a small number of students.
The final painting! I added another wash of Prussian Blue to the background to cool down the purple. I am happy with the piece and it is now showing at the Silken Galleria, 912 E. New Haven Avenue, Melbourne. There will be no prints of this piece. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can contact Elizabeth at Silken by calling 321-733-2788.
background leaves and I also did a little "tweaking" on the values of the flower head. I'm not totally crazy about the background yet. I think it needs something subtle, it looks a little too purple. I went through the image with a fine tooth comb to see if there were any areas that looked too unfinished. That technical illustrator in me is coming out, I'm afraid. I really like my paintings to look as good close up as they do from a distance. I have added a touch of Prussian Blue to the green leaf just above the yellow flower elements to create contrast and punch the yellow just a bit more. Next installment should be the final painting! Stay tuned. To find out more about my classes and most recent work, please visit my website: http://watercolorworksart.com.
I decided to add a glaze of Ultramarine Violet to intensify the background. I chose the purple color to contrast with the yellow and gold of the flower focal point. I have also added another glaze to many of the green leaves. Each glaze intensifies the color without making the image muddy.
I have now added the greens to the flower base. I want to make the flower more of the focal point, so to do that I have to intensify the different values between the yellows, greens and blues of the flower with the blues and lavenders of the background.
Here, I have added yellow glazes to the flower and I have added some green glazes to the leaves. I used Quinicridone gold for the yellow wash, and Hooker's green for the greens. I also added some Quinicridone gold to some of the leaves to warm then up. This helps to separate them more from the cool background.
Here is another installment on the progress of my Bird of Paradise painting.
I am still working on the Bird of Paradise painting. I am now beginning to work with the second set of glazes. Note the second leaf from the left that comes up from the bottom edge of the picture plane. I had previously created some shading with other colors, including French Ultramarine Blue. Now I have added a glaze of Perylene Green, very wet. As different colors are glazed on top of one another, after the first layer has thoroughly dried, deep rich colors emerge!
Now, I continue to glaze colors around the entire painting. Many times I will work with only one color where it is needed around the entire painting before I move on to another color. I am also adding yellow glazes over some of the greens, and a very wet Prussian Blue over other areas to push the warm areas and cool areas.
At this stage, I want to be sure I am not totally ignoring an area of the painting that may not be as exciting or interesting to me as others. I love this stage as the glazes make the painting seem to begin to come to life!
Today's installment of the painting process is to show that I have added a wash on the main focal point of the flower in browns and reds. Using burnt sienna, I have also added some small areas where the leaves have died off. I often add the dead or decaying areas of plants in my paintings because, to me, that is part of the beauty of the plant. It also adds warmth to the green/cool areas.
The next stage is to begin adding more greens and blues to the leaves. I believe it's important to continually work around the painting, so that one area doesn't get over developed while another area is totally undeveloped. I am enjoying the rhythms and directional lines that are developing within this composition. I am also thinking about how to develop the greens and blues of the leaves, altering warm and cool colors, so that I can maintain the integrity of the focal point, which is the beautiful, bird-like flower.
Here I am underglazing some of the details in the green leaves. These underglazes will work together with future glazes to build rich colors and to create beautiful, interesting textures in the final piece. I have used viridian green, Hooker's green and a very watered-down Prussian blue for these glazes.
Okay, here are the first few photos of my Bird of Paradise painting in progress. The initial photo shows the drawing which was transferred onto the Arches 300 lb watercolor paper with graphite. I added the first wash of Aurolean yellow, a touch of New Gamboge, and a tiny bit of Cadmium Orange. I also began a small wash on the leaf with some Cerulean blue, very wet.
The second photo shows a bit more wash on the leaves. I have added the yellows (mentioned above) on the lighter areas and more Cerulean blue on the bluish leaves. As I study my reference photos (always use your own photos!!!!!!!), I noticed lots of variations of blues, greens, yellows, gold and brown on the leaves. In order to make the painting look as real as possible, I use glazes of various colors to achieve the delicate and varied colors I want to produce.
The photo at right shows three of my students from Michigan. You can see they were painting from the same reference photo, but each piece reflects their style, personality and palette choices! It is so much fun to see the individuality come out in my student's work!
I absolutely love to paint flowers! This was a demonstration piece for one of my watercolor classes. The reference photo was from a flower in my garden early in the morning.
My father was in the navy. My brother was in the navy. My son was a marine. Thanks to all those who have served our country. Freedom comes at a cost. The price you have paid is appreciated!
I love flowers! Here in Florida the annual plants are coming out and blossoming everywhere. This little piece is a study I did in one of my past Friday morning classes. We started by using graphite to transfer a little drawing that I did onto some Arches 140 lb. watercolor paper - 10 x 14 inches. Then we began light washes of pinks, reds and greens to develop the petals and leaves. Each layer, or glaze, must be allowed to dry before applying the next if you want to develop crisp lines. Other areas were worked a little wet-in-wet. Pigment is added to a damp or wet area so that the edges of the colors soften and float into one another. The brown in the leaves was created by adding some burst sienna after the greens were completely dry. I let my brush dance over the area with a wet pigment, then dabbed at the moist areas here and there with a damp brush to lift and soften in a few places.
This is Adeline, one of my past students. This is her rendition of a piece we worked on in class. I thought it was really lovely. She did such a great job of adding to the reference her own personality by adding more leaves and buds and softening the edges! She had a nice balance of lights and darks and there is movement created in the piece due to her linework and placement of leaves and focal point.
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