Watercolours With Life: Green With Envy!

Saturday, 12 January 2019

Green With Envy!

Green Envy

Colour fun using my favourite Daniel Smith green shades

In winter with so little colour around it's easier to see and enjoy the variety of green shades in the evergreen plants and trees that show off so well at this time of year.

Just going for a walk is magical as I take time to study each green shade I see. Has it a blue hue? Are there brownish tints on the leaves, if so where? If I was to paint a certain plant, like ivy or holly for example, which green shade would I use? There are so many to choose from and it is fun deciding which would be best in colour matching exercises.

I loved writing the winter section in my latest book " Atmospheric Flowers in Watercolour" as it made me really see clearly how gorgeous winter can be.

Having said that I have always been fascinated with colour but I have often wondered where the saying " Green with envy" comes from. Or the description" Green Eyed Monster" . I have green eyes but I hope I'm not or ever have been a monster! I first started reading up about colour years ago. Its' rather neat to understand where sayings and ideas relating to my favourite shades originated from.

Ancient Greeks believed that if you were pale you could be seen as being ill, complexions would be a clue as to what ailed a patient. Lack of a healthy colour indicated illness possibly connected to bile problems, giving skin have a slight greenish hue. This is certainly how I have felt in the past when I used to suffer from sea sickness. I always felt my skin had turned green.

From this belief green became linked to illness, it was also thought that jealousy could cause problems with over production of bile. Hence jealousy caused the green appearance of the skin and the saying " Green with envy" now makes sense. Sort of!

Fascinating isn't it?

However, while there is beautiful weather I'm off for yet another walk to see how many green shades and ideas I can come up with before the day is out.

Have fun seeing green!

Artists challenge

How about discovering one new green shade before January is over. It has to be a green shade you have never used before. I would love to hear what you find if you would like to share your discovery in a reply!

*******************

No comments:

Post a Comment

The Artist Magazine : Book Review

Jean Haines' Atmospheric Watercolours

"The book is nothing less than a paean to the wet in wet technique. If that's your thing, prepare to be amazed. Jean Haines credits Jean Louis Morelle, and in many ways this book is the sequel to Morelle's remarkable, but very technical work, showing the wealth of creative possibilities the technique offers. A lot of the images are barely recognisable and yet you instinctively know what they are. I wish I knew how, because this is impressionism taken to its logical conclusion and reminiscent of some of the later work by JMW Turner. You will have to take it from me that "First signs of a face appearing magically from a first wash of watercolour" is pure alchemy. This is an extraordinary book."

"Amazing Ways With Watercolour:" Fastest Selling DVD!

"Amazing Ways With Watercolour" from Town House Films is the fastest selling DVD with the company to date! Record breaking pre-orders for this much awaited film saw requests for copies flooding in from all over the world. A wonderful introduction into working with watercolour minus the use of a preliminary sketch this DVD removes the fear, stress or pressure from worry about how to use watercolour. Instead the focus is on having fun, enjoying vibrant colour combinations and allowing the medium to create the subjects with just a little help from the artist. A really exciting new DVD to own. Whilst the DVD sold out in the first few months since its' release due to popularity it is now in stock and available directly from Town House Films.

http://www.townhousefilms.co.uk

How To Paint Colour and Light in Watercolour

"How to Paint Colour and Light in Watercolour" Jeans first book was launched at the Mall Galleries in 2010 at the SWA Society for Women Artists Annual Exhibition. Many copies have been sold world wide. It is available on Amazon.com, Search Press, SAA Society for All Artists and Ken Bromley.

"This book is a wonderful introduction into Jeans' way of working and gives an insight into her way of thinking and approach to a large variety of subjects. All painted minus the use of a preliminary sketch."