To paint white plants in watercolours you need to paint the background or give the white pale tints of colours or both. I showed this woolly thistle bud last year while I was struggling with it. I did not like the thin radiating leaves and thought a background might improve it. The watercolours seemed to be too weak a medium for me to do this bud justice. I completed it but I was still unhappy with it and decided not to show it at Artweeks.The original bud had been a joyous sparkly white affair … [Read more...]
Decisions in watercolour
I found it really hard to decide whether or not to add a background to this watercolour. (50cm square) In favour of no background: I have been working with 'floating' images and this is consistent with the other paintings. I could add a cartouche of lettering. By floating it, the image acquired a slight stylisation. It is easier to use on my greetings cards. I was worried about ruining the piece! In favour of a background: This is already a move away from the other work in that the … [Read more...]
The third thistle is complete
I want to do a series of thistles and I have just completed the third one. And I have discovered that is is also a Woolly thistle, like No.2 but at a different stage of flowering. I thought the base was the flower and that it was like a globe thistle. The florets are about to errupt from the centre.Here are the colours of the palette: Left to right: Thistle base (flower): I used mostly quiacridone magenta mixed with phthalo green, with a little burnt Sienna for warmth. Sometimes the green has … [Read more...]
Woolly Thistle – watercolour
The woolly Thistle is complete. Hooray - this is another tick on my list as the the year draws to a close. I have my eye on several other thistle species including the artichoke flower, but thank goodness they won't be flowering for several months so I have a break. In the meantime I have a cool commission - to produce some slightly stylised / abstract wild flowers which are found locally, for a billboard. This will be happening early in the new year. Sadly I have to work from photographs as … [Read more...]