In this #art #lesson Stage Two –  have now extended my yellow underwash in the #background. It looks luscious doesn’t it! Some have said they like the #background just as it is – however – watch this space and you will see how these varying strengths of yellow will allow the final flower painting to glow from within!

Enriching the Saturation of the Petals and Leaves to Create a Greater Sense of Substance

You will also note I have enriched the intensity of the leaves and the the #petals with simple # watercolor #washes using my #Priming #Method as well as the wet-in-wet method. This allows me to continue creating luminous transparent washes that make all the difference to the final appearance of the painting. At the same time I have added some detail as I move forward.

Create Soft Edged Highlights and Transitions

You will notice I have been very careful to avoid hard edges between my highlighted areas and the petal #color and leaf color. Using my Priming Method and the wet-in-wet method, I have been able to control the flow of color to enable a soft transition from the local colors of the #leaves and petals – into the highlights.  These methods also allow me the joy of soft blends of color that meld seamlessly within the petals – just as it is in nature.

How to Create a blurred edge

When I need a soft edge around a leaf – as you can see in the lowest leaf under the secondary rose bloom – I simply soften the edge of my local #leaf color wash once it has started to become absorbed into the paper. I do this by taking a very slightly damp brush and I run this around the edge of the leaf. Depending on how damp your brush is and how damp the last leaf wash is – your color will migrate out from the edge of the area you are working. You can see this clearly in this step of the #painting. When the background is painted, I ensure I do the same thing – but in reverse. By that I mean I paint the background nearly to the edge of the leaf. Once the background color is almost absorbed – I use my barely damp brush to soften the edge and allow a very small migration of background color onto the leaf. Vola! A soft slightly blurred edge on a leaf that we don’t want to be too dominant!

In Stage Three we learn how to #create #stamen!

See you there! (in the post above)

Susan