Foxgloves in watercolour demonstration

 Each new month brings a flower that I feel I must paint. Snowdrops started in February, March embraced Golden  Daffodils, Tulips and Iris  jostled for attention in April and of course Bluebells filled all of May. June is the month of Foxgloves and slightly overlapping into July. Simply because they are still out in bloom, swaying gently on the Lakeland fells.

Materials 

Saunders Waterford Not 200lbs

Opera Rose

Permanent Rose

Cobalt Turquoise

Winsor Blue

Winsor Yellow

Masking Fluid

I started with an outline sketch and added Masking fluid to preserve the white of the paper for highlights on the flowers.

The paper was  dampened softly around the Foxgloves. Using a pale tonal value of Opera Rose the perfect shade for Foxgloves, Stronger tones are added for the Flower heads. Clean water was dropped into the centre of the flowers to create more depth.

Cobalt Turquoise added softly around the flowers for foliage is left to merge softly into the background.

By painting the negative shapes around the foxgloves with Strong tonal values, the flowers will emerge magically. Winsor Blue and Permanent Rose mixed together create a wonderful strong tone, adding Cobalt Turquoise will vary the shades. Permanent Rose was used to shape the inside of the trumpet flower.

The flowers are beginning to take shape by painting the background. Winsor Yellow with a touch of Winsor Blue mixes to a variety of shades of transparent Green ideal for leaves and foliage. Learning to paint  negative shapes for leaves produces lighter tonal values and a softer approach.

Foxgloves in watercolour

Final stage : Masking fluid was removed when the paint was dry to reveal highlights. Splashes and splatters can be added for the inside of the flowers and help to bring life and texture to the painting. Some areas are left soft and not detailed this helps to give the painting a restful feel.

For more watercolour online courses 

www.watercolourcourse.co.uk 

or check out my Etsy page 

Lakeland Sketchbook

A few photographs from a damp day in the Lakes.

 You may think it's not as inspiring as a glorious sunny day. Students often feel deflated when they see the rain and think I am crazy taking them out on location, but I think it can be much more dramatic and certainly atmospheric.

So here I sat, just out of the gale force wind, blowing fiercly down the lake. The Launch had been cancelled due to adverse conditions. I had to hold onto everything and time was the essence. But how uplifting it is to paint against the weather, it was just a quick sketch, and so enjoyable. Not quite a Turner and fastened to the mast, but I do love to see wild conditions rather than a Blue sunny day. Mind there is nothing quite like sitting in the warm sunshine with the lake gently lapping at your feet!

Not Sunflowers! Fancy having a go at both of these with a watercolour base and a little pastel.
I'll keep you posted.

 Learn to paint watercolours on my online watercolour course with lots of personal feedback with each project www.watercolourcourse.co.uk

The first outdoor Sketch of 2011

After this morning's class I felt I just I had to go and have a look at what we had been painting, also the sun was shinning with a Spring feel everywhere.

I had my sketchbook packed just in case, and wondered what would catch my eye? Light on the rocks and beautiful coloured ripples at Calfe Close Bay. The 1st outdoor sketch of 2011, and what a pleasure, with the sun shinning, but the watercolour did take a while to dry. You really can't beat sketching outdoors, and Derwentwater has so many painting opportunities. Why not come on a Lakeland Art course and try it out?

The evidence just a quick scribble

Stable Hills, Derwentwater by Jane Ward

This morning demonstration, Spring Greens mixed with Lemon Yellow and Winsor Blue, hints of Burnt Sienna in the sky.

Lakeland Art Courses on Radio Cumbria

You never know what's going to happen, I was sketching quietly enjoying the Grand Canal, a little Zucchero on the ipod, cup of coffee going cold. The phone rings and it's Steve from Radio Cumbria, 'Hi Jane do you fancy doing a real easy bit LIVE on the radio' Oh no I can't do live, I can barely put my words together. Anyway I said yes of course, so 2.45 was Live time in Lakeland Art Course world. A few comforting words from 'Fern' the DJ, then we are Live in 30 seconds!!!!!!!! It's amazing what runs through your head, luckily the Black Labrador across the road popped up in the window, so I had something to focus on.

So how was it? Like waiting for your turn at the dentist chair, But Fun, nerve shaking, frantic but did it.

Now I don't know how this painting is going, it's had a lot to cope with and looks like it's in Pisa and not Venice, but hope to rebuild it tomorrow.

I think you can listen again on the iplayer, I'll pop a link if I can

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p009g2jf/Kevin_Fernihough_24_08_2010/

This should be an active link for 1 week!! I'm on at 44 minutes and 33 seconds !!!

It will make you smile