Spring 2017 Watercolor Class

Class Project: Farmer's Market Week 3

One thing I don't mention often enough is composition, and it is one of the most important things to a pleasing painting.  This painting has very simple composition with strong perspective lines leading you into the painting. Also, things are placed in critical areas such as the worker and the purple flowers, they are on or near the "thirds" of the painting and with the pineapple in the corner for a triangle keeping you in the painting. Yes, I was thinking this as I was taking the photo, good composition is just as important in photography as it is in painting and many cameras have a thirds grid that you can use when you are composing a photo, use it rather then the center focus circle when you are taking photos and you will see an improvement in your photos and your art.

One of the things about a painting like this is because there are so many elements involved, you can move around the painting so that one area can dry while you work on another area in that way you bring it all up to the same level as you paint. Don't get stuck in one place not only will it look over worked but you will also create mud.

When I did the lettering I did break out my 1/4" angle brush but the letters are not hard to do. Using the sharp edge of the brush, I just touched the paper, gave a tiny side pull then moved on to the next letter and let them dry before adding the outline done the same way without the pull. The art work that looks like oranges on the end are just round orange circles I let dry then added some green leafy marks. Don't sweat the small stuff, just suggest the letters and shapes your viewer will do the rest.

The floor was painted with water first then starting with the light color (yellow and a touch of orange), I covered the floor area. While it was still wet, I picked up sienna and orange, starting about his foot, applied that color on the lower part of the floor and finally, I added blue to the sienna for the very foreground to suggest sunlight and shadows. Because watercolor dries lighter, I may have to do this again.

If you have under painted the flowers with light colors as you should have, creating the impression of a bunch or mums is simple. Again I used my  1/4" angle brush (you can use a small round or flat brush) mixing first a slightly darker purple (purple with a tiny touch of blue and water) and once again using the edge of the brush, I just touched the paper to give the suggestion of petals, leaving some of the lighter color for the centers. Look at the photo before you start this, even practice on a separate piece of paper if you have to it is very easy once you figure it out but it will take practice. The dark purple is the same colors less water. The leaves are done the same way, same brush just use green.



We have at least another week or two on this painting, do what you can and I will see you in class.