"Capturing The Splendor of Light"

REFERENCE PHOTO

This will be a one of three 3-hour workshops I will be teaching, at Learning Products Expo, Chicago.  The name of this workshop is "Capturing the Splendor of Light".  And away I go to begin the painting. 

STEP SIX

I painted the background with a mixture of winsor green (blue shade) permanent alizarin crimson, and burnt sienna.  I used the wet into wet technique, to allow the pigment to float and create some highlights, rather than painting a flat black background. 

I will be teaching this lesson and more at the Learning Products Expo in Chicago.  The name of the workshop is "Watercolorist Guide to Painting Crystal & Glass",  it will be a six hour workshop on Saturday, July 11, 9-4  PM.  For more information on this workshop visit learningproductsexpo.com  Hope to see you in Chicago!

STEP FIVE

Painting the tangerines, first I painted in a wash of transparent yellow, while the wash is still wet I blended in a darker value of orange to give the tangerine texture and volume.  This technique, blending on the paper, is a quick and easy way of painting,  I also begin painting the base of the crystal bowl.  Using a light wash mixture of gray and phthalo blue.

Next the background...

STEP FOUR

I finished painting in the sides of the bowl, using a wet into wet technique, and gently laying in my mixture of gray values, as well as my mixture of orange.  This area of the bowl is a bit interpretive,  allow the wet into wet technique to move you pigment, lots of lost and soft edges.

Mixing Permanent Rose and Transparent Yellow,  I gently painted a light wash of my orange mixture, as the paint is wet I then dropped in a darker value of orange.  Next step I will define the tangerine a little bit more. 

Chicago Learning Products Expo Workshop

STEP THREE

Two of the fans on the cut crystal is now completed, it may seem a bit heavy for glass, however once the rest of the bowl is complete, the beauty of the cut crystal will come forward.

STEP TWO

This area of the cut crystal which looks like a fan, as you can see there is a dark side and a light to this part of the cut crystal.  I began again with the dark side of each blade that is in the fan area.  I was anxious to paint in the orange, wanted to see the fan/blades of the cut crystal develop.  Mixing transparent yellow and permanent rose for the reflective color from the tangerines.  The shapes might seem complicated but once you begin painting each shape, it begins to represent the cut crystal.
STEP ONE -

Begin with the darkest shapes of the cut crystal, mixing permanent alizarin crimson, winsor green (blue shade) and phthalo blue, in your palette, mix a nice variety of dark values, from black to a mid tones.   I began with painting the darkest shapes of the cut crystal, on the lower portion of the bowl.   
REFERENCE PHOTO

Here is one of the four lessons I will be teaching at the Learning Products Expo in Chicago.  This lesson is "Watercolorist Guide to Painting Crystal and Glass".  Above is the reference photo for this lesson.

Painting Dark to Light

Begin this lesson at Step One Below



STEP FIVE
Here it is, just that easy. Looking for darkest values first than mid tones, than your lightest values. This poppy took me about an hour to paint. Using a 1/2 inch & 3/4 inch one stroke brush. Results you still keep the translucent, luminous effect and the glazing at the end results in a great combination of values and depth. Controlling your values through glazing is a traditional way to paint in watercolor, but if you want quick results and deep intense contrast, try this method, you may enjoy it. More to come...

STEP FOUR
Now I have painted in my darkest and middle values. The poppy is now ready to have the lightest values ready to be painted in. 1,2,3 just that easy.

STEP THREE
Look closely, here I am glazing a middle value over my darker value, previously painted, and allowed to dry throughly. When glazing over my darkest values I use a one stroke brush which releases the paint evenly without much pressure. This brush is great for this technique because it won't disturb or move the pigment.

STEP TWO
Next step for your dark to light method is to find the mid to dark values, mixing permanent rose with quinacridone gold and adding a bit more water, results my mid to dark values for this poppy.


STEP ONE
This poppy was painted in a little over an hour, using the dark to light method. No more glazing and waiting for your darks to pop, painting your darkest values first is time saving and instant gratification for watercolorists. Tired of glazing and glazing to get your darkest values? Than this is the method for you. For my darkest values I mixed permanent rose, and quinacridone gold, with a hint of thalo blue, for a rich dark pink.

Iceland Poppy 3-day watercolor workshop at Gallery 2611

The results of our hard work, we left tired but happy and armed with many new and great techniques. The class will have the opportunity to complete this piece on their own, with new found confidence. As well as myself, I will complete and keep posting!
The stamens, what a fun area to paint, somewhat loose, using the wet into wet technique dropping in the golden yellow along with the transparent yellow. No matter which approach loose or detailed, it is going to look terrific. The secret to this is not to over work this area. "Put the brush down and step away from the painting"
Once we completed the red poppy we moved to the white poppy in shadow, this was another fun learning curve for those students that have never attempted to paint, this subject. To master painting the poppies, it is useful for any level student, it is believing in the process, applying it.
This is the beginning of our Iceland Poppy lesson with the green leaves and stems. The focus on this portion of our lesson is how to paint the cluster of leaves, stems and pods and get the depth of the "jungle" portion of this beautiful flower. Many techniques were taught to achieve this wonderful pattern. The students all agreed that this alone was the "icing on the cake, it is a huge learning curve that can be repeated in so many ways and on so many different subjects".

On the morning of day two we began painting the red poppy, this poppy was painted with three colors, and most of the brush work was with 1 - 1 1/2" brushes. Learning how to apply large and deliberate brush strokes was the focus on this portion of the lesson. Building confidence to load up your brush and paint the darkest largest shape of the pedals wrinkle. My students were tired but happy by the end of day two, a lot of new and interesting techniques as well as building their confidence to trust the process.
Here is Evelyn deep in concentration, if you look closely you can see her beautiful green pattern of stems and leaves just popping of the paper, good job Evelyn!!
Jackeye, Barbara, Monica, and Evelyn
May 2-4 I taught my yearly workshop at Gallery 2611, which is my home town. I decided this year to forego a still life and to go back to teaching a floral painting for this workshop. The above three photos are the students hard at work, and deep in concentration. Learning bit of confidence goes a long way.