Palm Fronds in Watercolor

This is a recent painting that was inspired by a photo from my friend Lin Sons. She took a photo of these frilly palm fronds in her backyard. Thus, I named this piece "Lin's Palm".

This piece is done with my Layering/Pouring technique. It measures 23 x 30 inches and is framed in a gold metal frame. It can be seen in person at the Art and Antique Studio and Gallery on Highland Avenue in Melbourne, Florida.

I really loved the lines and shapes in this piece. I also had fun working with darker values, especially in the background where some of the flora is almost hidden with glazes of blue. Let me know what you think!

Palm Tree Wet In Wet Technique

I have applied another wash. After this dries I will add more masking to save the next level of values! Lots of work, lots of patience, lots of results!!!

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Slowly But Surely...watercolor...

Slowly but surely I will get this posted.

Because I am using a very wet technique for this painting, and I will be using many layers of wet, blended colors, I don't have to worry about the graphite on my paper. Here I have penciled in lightly, with a number two drawing pencil, the darkest values of my painting. As I add the wet colors the pencil lines will lift and lighten. I don't want to lose my value pattern, so I add the darkest as they will be the last to be added in. If I were using a direct painting method I would be much more careful about the pencil marks. Even with this method, though, I don't want to press hard with the pencil. That would leave impressions on the paper that would cause the pigment to sink in, leaving unsightly marks.
More to come...

Sunlit Coconuts Lesson 6

Now it's time to build some of the beautiful colors in the coconuts! Using Burnt Sienna in a very wet mixture, I glazed a wet wash onto some areas of the coconuts where I wanted them to look warm and a bit darker. Some of the edges are crisp (painted on dry paper). Some of the edges have been softened with a clean, damp brush. I used a stronger wash of the same color on the lower coconut. The value needs to be darker, and therefore the stronger color (less water).

Scooter and Riley Lesson 15

This is an on-going lesson in watercolor. See the previous posts for more.

Set the piece against a wall and walk a distance from it. Look at the values. Do you see a wide variety of darks and lights? Are they in the appropriate places? Hold the painting up to a mirror to see it with fresh eyes. What areas do you need to correct at this stage? Have you worked around the entire painting or have you worked only in some areas, leaving others lagging behind?

Note the areas that you need to work in to catch everything up to the same stage and go back to develop those areas. Be careful not to overwork any area of the painting. This will give it a fussy look, instead of a crisp, completed look.

Lemons Lesson Number 7

Here I have used the French Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna in a very thin, watered down consistency to develop some of the reflections in the glass and added more color to the shadows in the lemons. I used the colors separately and mixed together in various mixtures to add depth to the shadows.

I also used a very thinned out mixture of Aureolin Yellow with a drop of Burnt Sienna to paint the table area. I painted this mixture over the white of the table and over the previously painted shadow area under the plate.

If you would like to paint along with my blog lessons, you can get the photo references and drawings sent to you by visiting my etsy shop, clicking on the Online Lesson icon, and pay a small fee of $5.00. I will then email all the references to you.

Sunflower Lesson 7

I have also begun to use a stronger, but still very wet, wash of Burnt Sienna to the details of the sunflower head. It's important at this stage, to pay close attention to the direction of the light. I want to paint darker values and the shadow areas to create the illusion of shape. As I work the brown pigments over the dried blue glaze, the blue disappears, yet adds value to the brown washes.