Roses in Watercolour: Summer 2016

Single Rose in Watercolour

Daniel Smith Opera Pink and Cadmium Yellow 

I have had a wonderful time painting roses in my cottage garden this summer. I have a rose bush that is called " Compassion" and it never fails to produce beautiful blooms each year. The more I cut for  floral arrangements the more blooms this plant seems to give me, and they are perfect for painting in watercolour.

I choose shades to capture their delicate hues carefully and my favourite colour to paint these particualr roses is Opera Pink by Daniel Smith. Why? It can be as vibrant as I need it to be or I can dilute it heavily to create very subtle colours which are perfect for the almost translucent effect of the petals of these roses. If I add Cadmium Yellow to it a superb peach shade appears. This again can be as bold or as quiet as I wish, purely by the addition of water.

 

 Placing my painting next to the real flowers to see if they are working, matching in colour and shape. They are!

I always sit quietly studying my subject before I pick up my brushes. Then I begin by creating a gentle first wash of the outline shape of one rose as my starting point.

 

1) My first roses created with Cadmium Yellow and Opera Pink shades by Daniel Smith. Detail is omitted in places to create the illusion of sunlight hitting the flower.

Once I am happy with the first flower I can begin to work on the next one, and I decide where this will be in my composition as my painting evolves in the development process

2) The second rose is added. A different bloom facing a different direction. No preliminary sketch means I am free to work at will where ever I feel colour or a rose will work best in my painting.

 Matching my painting to the real thing.

With the two  first roses in place I can start building up my painting by adding other roses and buds in the background. I study the real flowers carefully before adding each brush stroke and new addition of colour. Taking my time, relaxing and loving looking at and smelling the gorgeous roses in my garden

A summers day spent painting roses.

I added very little green to this painting as I loved the effect of light given to this piece by leaving so much white paper. Sections to be filled in by the viewers imagination.

"Summer Heaven "

We race through life with so much to do each day that we often forget to seriously take time out to chill, relax and yes, smell the roses. So whatever you are doing take an artists' tip from me today. Find time just for you to paint something you love. Now, while you can. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed to any of us so don't waste a minute.

Paint!

And enjoy painting what you love when you want to.

You deserve it!

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