Watercolours With Life: Peony in Watercolour 2014

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Peony in Watercolour 2014

Peony in Watercolour

Whenever I paint peony flowers I always think of my time studying Asian brushwork in China. However my style has changed so much from when I was studying Chinese brushwork under a Shanghainese master. Now I depend strongly on colour and water flow to create my subjects.

Today I have glorious bright red peony in a vase in my studio. They were knocked down in my garden by Bailey, my over enthusiastic Bearded Collie. Even so every negative has a positive. As these flowers were on very short stems I placed them in a small vase and realised they could be wonderful to paint. And what an experience today was. Allowing red shades to merge with water on paper, to create fantastic pattern effects. Then merging a few green shades amongst the reds gave an illusion of foliage. Sheer bliss!

Peony "water marks" on my easel

My main problem is that I am a complete watercolour addict. I have had such a great time experimenting with these flowers as subjects that I now want to take a huge piece of paper and see what happens on that next!

Life is great when you are in love with watercolour.

And I am!

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1 comment:

Anne Marieke said...: What you did with that poor knocked-over peony is truly wonderful.
Love it!

It is so lovely that we can all follow what you are doing.; 13 May 2014 at 09:43

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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."