Paeonia Step Six

The leaves on the right hand side of the painting are finished. I added washes of sunlit green to add some warmth to the areas of sap green. The background is being built up with washes of sap green, midnight green and neutral tint with a number four brush.

The foreground leaves have so many shadows it makes it quite hard to see where the shape of the leaf is.  For the shadow areas I used a number four brush and a wash of midnight green. Using a number one brush I lifted some of the paint (wetting areas and dabbing it with tissues) for the lighter veins. White gouache was used for the highlights on the leaves.

The flower buds hidden in the background are painted with washes of raw sienna, cadmium yellow and a touch of neutral tint highlighting the shadows.

Next week I will post the finished painting.

Paeonia Step Five

A watercolour wash of sap green has been applied to the most prominent leaves. Sunlit green has also been used on many of the background leaves to add a little warmth to the painting.

  

At the top right hand side of the painting I lifted some of the paint (wetting areas and dabbing it with tissues) for the lighter veins. Next I deepened areas with midnight green.

I am using a no. 4 brush with yellow ochre for the stems, darkening areas with a mix of Vandyke brown. White gouache has been added for highlights on some of the leaves.

Paeonia Step Four

I applied a dark watercolour wash of neutral tint and midnight green to the deepest areas of background. Then I deepened the colours on many of the leaves using washes of midnight green. The background is starting to take shape.  

Paeonia Step Three

This is a complicated and detailed painting, so I find it easier to jump around in it not painting it in any order.
I think it also helps to achieve a good tonal balance if you lay down the darkest colours early on in the painting. The darkest background colour is a mix of midnight green and neutral tint. The top left hand leaves are painted in sap green, sunlit green and yellow ochre for the stems.

Paeonia Step Two

I am building up the background using a number 4 brush. I am not being too careful where I am placing the paint at the moment, I am just getting a feel for the painting.

You can see the bright blue grip protector around my paint brush. The brushes are quite narrow to hold and make your fingers sore. I find the grip really helps to cushion your fingers.

The colours I am using are sap green and midnight green in quite a dry wash. 

Paeonia Step One

I have drawn out a picture of a Paeonia. I am basing my composition on photographs I took at Ness Botanic Gardens on the Wirral a couple of years ago. 

The flower is bright yellow but it is mainly in a shady spot so it is in shadow.  I want to paint this picture, not for the flowers sake but for the tangle of leaves in shade and sunlight.

I have painted the background with a light wet wash of sunlit green, and have just started to paint sap green on one of the leaves.

 

Rudbeckia

This watercolour and gouache painting was based on photographs taken at my favourite gardens, Ness Botanic Gardens. I painted it a couple of years ago. 

I thought it would be a good one to post, because it reminds me of summer and sunshine. 

It is mainly painted in watercolour and a small amount of gouache. I felt when it was finished it lacked something, so I added watercolour pencils to the background and flowers. It makes a change to use watercolour pencils, but I still prefer using brushes.