Agave, In Progress 2

Next I begin painting in the lighter mid-tone values of the leaves. This layer will be the "underpainting" for each leaf. One of my favorite pigments for shadows is Pthalo Blue (Pigment PB 15). Usually I use Pthalo Blue as a final glaze. Pthalo blue is a staining pigment, very intense, and transparent. So according to the "laws" of color perspective for watercolor, this pigment works best in foreground areas (i.e. intensity comes forward) when used against less intense blues (here Cobalt, Manganese, and later Ultramarine blue). However, when used as a shadow or in this underpainting as I did above, the color will create a reflective glow in the final painting. The intensity of the pigment will bring the eye toward the center of interest but will actually look recessed in the plant; at least that is my plan. More to follow...

Painting Daisies Workshop Study

Before many of my larger paintings and before a class, I will do a small painting (a study) to work out the composition, value, and color palette. This is a small 5X7 study in preparation for my February Painting Daisies watercolor workshop. Visit my website for details about the workshop.

The idea for this painting topic came from a lesson taught by Nancy Oleksa in Poway, CA, though adapted for a 4 day workshop using a variation of color. My inspiration; the daisies growing on the lawn outside the Dorothy Hart Community Center in Fredericksburg this fall. I chose a spring palette using my usual pigments of Aureolin Yellow, Quin Gold, and New Gamboge, Permanent Rose, and Rose Madder Genuine. I am facing my aversion to premixed greens and also used Viridian and Winsor Green and added a lovely purple, Winsor Violet (dioxazine violet). If you want to know more about these paints, go to http://www.handprint.com/ and follow the links to guide for watercolor pigment. I use this site whenever I am researching properties of new (and usual) pigments.