January Studio 2012: Spring Fusion

Spring flowers bursting to life in watercolour

My studio January 2012

I woke this morning to glorious sunshine even though the ground was covered outside with a deep crispy white frost. Having walked my  four legged companion, Bailey I looked for inspiration around me as is my usual way of starting the day. I imagined famous artists of the past enjoying the gorgeous landscape before me ,set in the mysterious mist. This scene I could easily see painted in oil and felt tempted to race back and capture it myself.

Morning walk, January 2012

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However once I did return to my studio a beautiful scent hit me as I opened the door. I had left a vase of  narcissi with the intention of painting them today. The vibrant splash of yellow after the wintry mornings walk really captured my artists imagination,cheered my soul and excited me with all kinds of ideas on how a new composition of them  could work.

With a few simple brushstrokes they came to life on paper with very little help from me as the artist. I have a special palette which holds all my favourite spring colours. It was so wonderful to work and enjoy the thought of  all the gorgeous flowers to come over the next few months leading me into another fabulous year of working in watercolour. At times like these it feels so amazing to be alive and able to enjoy all nature has to offer.

Narcissi coming to life with a few simple brush strokes.

I only paint these particular flowers from life as I find working from photographs really does kill the natural flow in my work.  In my workshops I can't stress highly enough the importance of learning to really look minus the help of a pre composed image. You physically see and feel so much more when working with the subject right in front of your eyes.Your senses come alive as you can not only admire what you are  aiming to portray on paper but  by touching the flowers a feeling of delicacy also comes strongly across. This  helps the strength of my brush hitting the paper which is an area of being an artist that often gets over looked. I am very gentle when I work. My brushes caress the paper not force pigment to lay where placed. I encourage flow and natural interaction of pigments. This I hope to demonstrate in my new DVD which will be filmed in March 2012.

 But I have to admit,while sat here typing I can still see my flowers,my easel and  smell the heady  perfume which appears to be coming from my painting as much as the real thing!

I am heading back to paint and quickly.

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Watercolour Brush Research 2012

I am currently doing  research on watercolour brushes so every single mark I make on paper really is important to be observed for  so many fine details.  What make are best and why ?

More on that later.

For now my brushes are calling me!

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