Trying the Technique

[jang]

This Japanese Magnolia is from a photograph in the Wet Canvas reference library.  I wanted to try Susan's technique of using a yellow underpainting and even though I don't have all of Susan's palette, this is the result.

I would appreciate any comments or critiques.  Bev Wells has already been a tremendous help. 

J

[jang]

I'm a little disappointed that there hasn't been any public feedback on this painting as I was hoping for more interaction on the part of the members here.  I'm pretty much a beginner with watercolor but not with art in general so I know there's room for improvement.

What I was hoping for was members expressing their views of each other's paintings and tips on improvement so that we all can learn from one another.

So, if anyone wants to chime in & even pick it apart, I'm not thin-skinned!  And I hope others will post their paintings also, especially wips showing/telling how they painted it.

[CarolEngle]

I would enjoy that type of feedback too. I liked your painting. Especially the brightness of the pink against the darker background. If I had to offer any advice (and I'm not as knowlegeable about watercolor as others on this site) I'd want to see the background a little smoother. By that, I don't mean smooth as in 'no texture' but it seems splotchy to me and I'm not experienced enough to know how to avoid that.

I did love the vibrancy of the pink. it glowed.

I wonder what it would have looked like against a darker green instead of the blue. Did you use Paynes Gray in the background? I've noticed that Paynes Gray can be effective but it can also bring too much black into the mix.

I'm finding myself very interested now in hearing the feedback you receive and I might post one of my pictures to get the same kind of help. Or maybe post one of Josh's.

Carol

[marylka]

Hi Jang .
With backgrounds I pre mix the pigments that i use with a little water ,and there usualy the some as i have used on the subject ,using the complimentary colour around the subject in this case green around the petals of the magnolia, and red around leaves, basicly mixing the pigments on the paper you get richer colours .I also have a glaze of yellow under it but it must be completely dry,for sky it would have to be very pale otherwise you end up with green.Depending on the colour you require it is done in layers untill it gets to the of background you require.
Hope this helps
Marylka

[Beverley Wells]

Hi Jang
I think the point  was about the Tone of the background against the flower -
The darker background tone regardless of its colour definatley made your flower stand out more than before when both the flower and the background were the same Tone
So you did do what you wanted to do Make the flower stand out
Sometimes a background can get over worked and look a little blotchy
And yours may look a little that way but hey x
Thats a question of practice how about using some of your old paintings ( i have a stack that will never make a frame) and practice your backgrounds
Put in your dark background if your subject is light scare your self a bit -its only a piece of paper
I normaly wet the background first then drop in the strong tones and some clear water letting them mingle into each other
If I am lucky once will do if not i wait untill the background dries then wet it again and paint again with a light touch -sometimes if you apply the paint with a firm touch as an oil painter would do you will see your brush marks that can make your background appear blotchy
choose the colours for your painting first you should have a plan of what you are going to use for the subject etc
Then you can have a Harmony in your painting
For an idea about how colours mingle look at Close Focus Flowers by Ann Pember I just love how she sees her flowers and mingles her colours it is a different aproach to Susans but worth a try
Hope this may help
Happy Painting Bev

[jang]

Thank you all for your responses - I hope everyone can learn something from my mistakes.

Carol, the background is actually a very dark green.  I didn't use any Paynes in the painting at all but just mixed all the darks on my palette.  There is sort of a progression of this painting on my blog which is where I "try out" or show my art experiments.

http://petstoposies.blogspot.com/

I'm sure the background is overworked as it has a "dead" look to it which is real indication!  lol

Thank you Marylka and Bev, I think this painting is one for the "uh oh" file but I know I'll use all tips from everyone in future paintings.  I may even paint this one again just to practice the techniques you've all told me about.

Thanks to all of you!

[Artemesia]

Hi Jang and everyone,


 Jang, I thought your painting was lovely and definitely not one for the 'uh oh' file. I love the colours you have used and the contrast of the flower against the dark background.  It is often so difficult to portray the delicacy of the flower and you have achieved that very well here. I can't see the blotchiness on the background too well and it looks more like texture.  Perhaps you could try re-wetting the background and smoothing out any blotches or even enhancing the texture. 

Hope this helps,

Artemesia

[jang]

Awww, thanks.  I haven't done any more to it as sometimes when a painting doesn't end up as I envision, I just put it away.  Sometimes I'll get it back out & decide it can be reworked & sometimes it just stays in the junk file!  lol

I will try to see if I can salvage it though as I do like the flower part.

Thanks for your kind reply.

[Artemesia]

You're very welcome,

I hope you do try to salvage it and let us see it when it is finished.

[Gina]

Jang,

If this is a painting you're putting aside because you're not happy with it, I hope when you bring it back to life you see the beauty in it.  I'm not sure what others have found for falt with it.  Maybe theres something wrong with my eyesight that I don't know of.  This is a beautiful painting.  Frame it and sell it.  I love it!  Granted I love flowers and you've definitely achieved a beautiful setting.  We all definitely see the picture differently.  And I think its lovely!

Gina

[mlsleisel]

You did a very lovely painting. Ah, critiques...I would put a light source in (lighten the background with a little yellow? a little green? and also you could "pull" out some impressions of leaves, etc.  Always make sure you pick up a little of the color of your subject in the background.... I am just a beginner too in watercolor (I once did portraits in pastel, but a stroke caused me not to be able to hold the pastels - I was able to control a brush and my watercolor journey began!  Backgrounds: I have seen pictures of backgrounds that (once you protect your main object) you drop in or brush in color wet in wet - you can manipulate the paint while it is still wet and add more paint when it is still wet - let it dry bone dry and then if you need to fine tune with your color, spray water on the painting and do so.)  But your painting is lovely....pink is not any easy color to work with in a painting.  Very nice!  Hope to see more soon!  I'm new to the site and hope that when I begin posting that others will critique me (with kindness) but with a clear eye...catching what I missed or what I am new to and can learn about or improve). Thank you. 

[Renee]

Sorry Jang, I did not see this post until now. I have no clue why I am not notified by mail 60% if the time that there is a post here. So I miss allot. It is in my preference to get all the topics and threads but am not getting the messages sent to me.
The painting looks like a nice sample of a Botanical Illustration' type painting.  These types of paintings do not need a back ground. They are lovely as they are. The only thing I would do is increase the contrast in the flower itself and enriching the color a little.
But if you were doing a showy background, to me the top part of the background does not need to be so dark. It would look beautiful if there was a glow to it with different temps of dark's and lights. But I would not do this without enhancing the colors in the flower. All in all, it is a nice painting.

[marylka]

Sorry Jang, I did not see this post until now. I have no clue why I am not notified by mail 60% if the time that there is a post here. So I miss allot. It is in my preference to get all the topics and threads but am not getting the messages sent to me.
The painting looks like a nice sample of a Botanical Illustration' type painting.  These types of paintings do not need a back ground. They are lovely as they are. The only thing I would do is increase the contrast in the flower itself and enriching the color a little.
But if you were doing a showy background, to me the top part of the background does not need to be so dark. It would look beautiful if there was a glow to it with different temps of dark's and lights. But I would not do this without enhancing the colors in the flower. All in all, it is a nice painting.

Hi Renee
That post was way back in 2008 so maybe that is the reason.You mention messages I don't receive messages are we supposed to?
Marylka

[Renee]

Sorry Jang, I did not see this post until now. I have no clue why I am not notified by mail 60% if the time that there is a post here. So I miss allot. It is in my preference to get all the topics and threads but am not getting the messages sent to me.
The painting looks like a nice sample of a Botanical Illustration' type painting.  These types of paintings do not need a back ground. They are lovely as they are. The only thing I would do is increase the contrast in the flower itself and enriching the color a little.
But if you were doing a showy background, to me the top part of the background does not need to be so dark. It would look beautiful if there was a glow to it with different temps of dark's and lights. But I would not do this without enhancing the colors in the flower. All in all, it is a nice painting.

Hi Renee
That post was way back in 2008 so maybe that is the reason.You mention messages I don't receive messages are we supposed to?
Marylka

I have it on my options to inform me when posts come on this site. I did not even get the one that is dated March 10, 2010 Posted by: mlsleisel . I see these sometimes when I check the (unread posts) above. There are also times I click on that and there is nothing showing unread. Then I check the next day and I have several that did not show from a prior week. For instance I checked unread posts every day for a week and got a few. Then on a following day, there was nothing. Then the next day I see several that was posted long before, like Susan's happy birthday message. I was bummed because I missed out on wishing her happy birthday on the special day. I miss out on certain topics because of this.