Spring Easel : Cadmium Yellow

Spring washes of daffodils using Cadmium Yellow and Cerulean Blue

Winsor & Newton Shades

This is the time of year when sunshine is lacking in UK which is why working in yellow is such a fantastic feeling. I add instant warmth to not only work but my mood, simply by opting for sunshine colours in my subjects. As an artist I can leap from country to country, season to season all by the touch of my brush and it is fabulous.

I am working towards my 2014 Spring exhibitions and I have an image in my mind of the gallery being full of vibrantly alive paintings that draw the viewers into each piece. There should be a glow and a feeling of energy in the room throughout the show. So here are two pieces I am currently working on and there may be a thrid to make this a trio of floral paintings.

I have used Cadmium Yellow for the centres, and because it is such a powerfully rich pigment it has allowed me to use my size ten sable to form petals without adding extra pigment on my brush. By using water alone, moving away from my starting point for the petals, I gain a more delicate result with the Cadmium Yellow from the centres which bleeds into the surrounding flower formation. If you mix Cadmium Yellow with Cerulean Blue you gain a fantastic spring green which harmonises perfectly with the daffodils.

I will be adding centre detail and finding petal edges next.

Artist Tip : This is a great time of year to stock up on on new watercolour products so treat yourself  to a few completely new shades and maybe give your palette a spring clean while you are at it. Whatever you do, keep your pigments clean and fresh so that this shows in your results which will be glowing with colour, fresh and alive.