Cactus Flower Lesson 12

Oh what fun! Developing the red flower heads was lots of fun. I love how the greens and red act against each other and really make the focal point pop. The dark values in the shadow areas help to create the illusion of depth.

I used many different reds on my palette to work around the flower heads including, Burnt Sienna, Perylene Maroon, Permanent Rose, and some Quinicridone colors. I wanted to keep the yellows glowing through some areas, so I was careful not to cover them with too many glazes or with cool glazes.

I used some Burnt Sienna and VanDyke Brown in the shadow areas around the thorns. Be sure to leave the white areas wherever you can! This just adds sparkle to the piece.

Cactus Flower Lesson 11

The shadows are even deeper now, as I have added another glaze of Perylene Green, mostly on the right and under the flower heads.

The dark shadow works like an arrow to carry the viewer's eye to the focal point.

I played with different applications of colors to create some textures in the warm shadow area to the left and under the flower heads. I am enjoying the shapes that are emerging from this piece!

Students Painting of Hibiscus Lesson

Buffy took my online class to paint the Hibiscus! She did a beautiful job.
Thanks so much, Buffy, for sharing your end result!

You can paint along online as well. Follow the link to the previous blog entry and enjoy! For $5.00 you can receive the photo reference and drawing if you would like it.

Here is the link to the beginning of the Hibiscus lesson.
http://watercolorworksart.blogspot.com/2009/04/hibiscus-lesson-number-1.html

Hibiscus Lesson Number 10

Ah, time to remove masking.

I used a Masking Fluid Pickup tool to scrub off the masking fluid and regain the white areas underneath.


Using a variety of the reds and yellows on my palette, and a number six round brush with a good point, I developed the details in the center of the flower.


I glazed several times over these tiny areas, but I also painted around some of the whites, so that the focal point could really sparkle.

Hibiscus Lesson Number 6

Today I am using French Ultramarine Blue and a bit of Ultramarine Violet to create the deep shadow underpainting for the background. I just applied very wet paint in varying values to create the foundation for the deep colors I want.


I am also using the French Ultramarine Blue to develop some of the initial details and shading in leaves. The subtle areas of light and dark with crisp and soft edges replicate what I see in the reference photos. I am not painting exactly what I see, but I am searching to create the "look" of the texture of the leaves. To develop these areas I apply a stroke of fairly strong color, very wet with a number six round brush. Then, quickly clean my brush, tamp it on my toweling next to my palette and touch the wet pigment on one side with the damp brush. This softens the edge. Then I dip the brush in clean water, drain a little off on the towel or the edge of my water container so that the brush is not dripping. I use this liquid, starting in the clear, dry, paint-free area, and pull the water into the pigment. This softens the edge, draws the pigment out a little, but the outer edge is only clear water, so it will dry without a line.


You can see the effect of the yellow underpainting on the leaves. It took several hours to work around the painting in this manner.

Red Geranium Nearly Complete

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.
My next post should be of the final piece.
Thanks for visiting!

To learn about my classes and workshops please visit my website: http://watercolorworksart.com/Classes

Painting a Red Geranium - No. Five

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.
I used Perelyne Maroon and Rose Dore to glaze the flower in subtle wet washes. I use different colors to glaze the petals that are facing different directions to give the illusion of light reflecting in different directions.
More to come soon!

Red Geranium Painting Installment No. Two

This is the second installment of How to Paint a Red Geranium.
At this stage of the painting I have used a cool red, Alizarin Crimson, to paint some cool shadow areas in the flower petals. The value (lightness or darkness) of the shadow areas is important. If it is too light the painting will look pale and washed-out. If the value is too dark, too soon, subsequent glazes will just look dull instead of transparent.
I have also used a very wet, thinned wash of Scarlet Lake to brighten and enhance some of the warmer petals. I don't plan to do a background wash for this painting, so I am leaving it alone and concentrating on the flower and leaves.
It's important to use a variety of edges, both crisp and soft. Check back for the next installment, hopefully tomorrow!

Red Geranium in Watercolor Process

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.
First, a drawing was done from a photo I took of a geranium in a flower pot in my back yard. I greatly simplified the picture by leaving out the background and only focusing on one stem of petals with corresponding leaves.
After applying the drawing to my watercolor paper I have applied the first wash with Winsor Red, a Winsor Newton color. I used a varied wash with light and dark values to provide a foundation of color on which to layer future glazes. I will post the next stage of this painting soon.
Classes are starting this week, but I am always open to new students anytime. Stop by my website to see the schedule - you can register online! Click here for class information.