Still playing with pears (and apples) and transparent colors and layering/glazing.
As Maggie suggested, I am working on two at once (the small pears are underpainted with a thin mix of Phthalo Blue and water and I painted the darks first).
After the paper dried, I used Hansa Yellow Light (a nice, bright, lemony yellow) over the blue, leaving whites (please please please leave those whites, you silly woman!!).
I really like this look - tart and bright and zingy. But wait, there's more!
Next color = Quinacridone Gold, a rich color. I'm proud of myself for still leaving some whites. Those pears are now looking more regal and shapely.
Where to go from here? A touch of red maybe? I wonder how many layers you can do this way and still have a fresh-looking pear?
At the same time, I am working on a larger (just 1/4 sheet cold press) piece with apples and just using yellows and reds. I'll share that later.
Took my two paintings to the framer shop yesterday. They will be ready for the GCWS show at Evergreen later this month.
8 comments:
Fun work Rhonda. I like to see what you accomplish doing these studies.
These pears look great! It's an interesting technique, I'd like to try it.
Rhonda, way to go! These are looking lovely and fresh and very interesting. I may have let some of the initial blue 'feather' and bleed out from parts of the edges of the pairs and established a base and/or vertical divide behind the pairs in very light blue values, as I'm not sure how you will continue with a background (if you are going to paint a background) without the pairs looking stuck on. But this is not a criticism; as these are really super...a you left some white and used thin washes.... I can't believe you took my advice...I feel humbled....I wish I would take my own advice sometimes (lol).....
Looks like you are enjoying this process, Rhonda. :)
I sure am enjoying seeing this unfold, Rhonda. These look fabulous as they are!
Thanks, Ann - your cactus turned out beautifully!
Jane, thanks, give it a try - the trick is to leave whites and be very pale with the blue underpainting, I think.
Maggie, I wasn't thinking about even doing a background but I did later. Good idea about letting some of the blue bleed out for a softer edge = next time! Why wouldn't I take your advice - it was good advice! :)
Carol, this is a easy thing to do - you can just do a small pear study and play with color or texture or anything at all - try it!
Thanks, Autumn!
Hi Rhonda,
I love the word "underpainted" yet how do we know when to stop when we paint a pear or two? I always thought that artist is the master to decide.
Pears are such a great subject and such a human subject too, don't you think?! :)
I am pending a few of those in my photo ref folder. But for now I am stuck with people. Pears are next :)
I love your blog and will be happy to follow your watercolor creations.
Thank you,
Irina
Irina, hopefully we know when to stop before it's overworked (hate that word! ha ha), but even with a simple pear it's easy to go too far.
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