Monday, June 23, 2008

White azaleas


I should have been ironing, but it's a beautiful day and the white azalea bush is in full bloom, so I thought I'd carry on with the quest to learn to paint white subjects in watercolour. I had to do quick sketches in my accordian sketchbook, as, really, it's piling up into a huge mountain (the washing). What I think I learnt from these two - the first rather carefully done with much concentration and squinting, the second dashed off while waiting for the washes on the first to dry - is, not to squint and concentrate so hard...I prefer the second one...and fewer but larger areas, or shapes, of pure white ie. the paper, seems to produce more of the clean, sunlit look I'm after. I still have to work on the subtle colour changes within the white, and tone and shadow and some more soft edges... The dog felt it beholden upon him to bark and wildly chase after everyone who walked past our front gate, near which I was sitting on an upturned bucket, so any interesting textural effects are from him kicking up sand into my palette.

5 comments:

Vivienne said...

Good dog, Gucci. They are great... much better than ironing. I like the bigger flowers as well. Your dark background throws them up so well, and it all looks very easy (which it isn't) and accomplished (which it is). Perhaps you can paint your ironing next... those white shirts and sheets.

Helen Percy Lystra said...

I agree with vivienne.... "and it all looks very easy (which it isn't) and accomplished (which it is)" And so much more fun than ironing.

By the way, thanks for the encaustic information. I took a peek last night and will definately go back and look harder.

Gillian said...

I like both of them too. The lower picture is so pretty and English Country Garden'ish. The dark green behind the larger blooms (top) is effective in making the white pop. I'm encouraged to try magnolias plein air... (NEXT SEASON!) Feel less intimidated about all that deep foresty green and of course THE WHITE. Thanks for your kind comments on "Maggie in a jar." It was certainly an exercise!

Anonymous said...

I love your flower paintings Cathy...you have anatural talent to do them gloriously! I would really love to see more like these azaleas...they look so wild and free, just as they normally are in nature.
ronell

Laura Frankstone said...

I love both!!! Cathy, you are rapidly becoming my favorite watercolor painter! You really have a such a sure and fluid touch.