Watercolours With Life: Hollyhocks in watercolour by Jean Haines

Saturday, 13 June 2015

Hollyhocks in Watercolour

"Pretty in Pink"

Hollyhocks from a demonstration at Patchings Art Festival 2015

For the Art Society group that had to leave early and miss my afternoon demonstration

It has been yet another busy week. Maybe I should start all my blog posts with the same sentence as I always seem to be saying that! My birthday was mid week so I have had a fabulous time enjoying it with my family throughout last week. Starting with a gorgeous surprise visit from my daughter and her husband on Monday, a birthday night out with friends on Wednesday and tonight I will be out again with my youngest son and his beautiful lady.

It has hit me more than ever how life often detracts us from our painting time. But it is also so important not to forget friends and family because of a passion, hobby or in my case career. I had put my painting on hold temporarily this week and it has done me the world of good because here I am in my studio eager to complete paintings and begin new ones.

Outside my studio window is a flower bed and there, holly hocks are beginning to bud. They remind me of the painting I created while at Patchings last week. Showing a friendly group of artists from an art society how I would make painting them so simple. Anyone who has my DVDs or watercolour books will know I often use cling wrap to create the tiny crinkled patterns of their petals. Anyone watching me recently on my current workshops or demonstrations will know I adore using Daniel Smith Opera Pink. And oh boy how smashing it is as a shade for painting summer flowers.

Above in my painting of hollyhocks you see vibrant use of Opera Pink to form the flowers in the foreground and diluted Opera Pink creates the less detailed flowers in the background. Add a touch of Cascade Green in the lower foreground with gorgeous Daniel Smith Cadmium Yellow and my painting is complete.

A brilliant way to spend the weekend. Painting beautiful summer flowers!

Abstract Holly Hock flowers. A wash without detail can be quite charming.

Strengthening an abstract wash with a touch of detail

Hollyhocks. Fun to paint and totally freeing!

No detail, just colour and shape to form unique compositions

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Thursday, 15 August 2013

Florals in Watercolour : Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks coming to life on my easel

using my favourite "crinkle effect" technique with cling wrap.

Outside my studio there is a stunning hollyhock just coming into flower. This one towers over all the other flowers and is really tempting my brushes. I walked into my studio this morning determined to paint a hare for a gallery but couldn't resist painting these incredible flowers instead. The hare is still waiting! I have pink ,white, yellow and burgundy hollyhocks in bloom. The pink one is almost identical to my Daniel Smith Opera Pink shade so that was the one that really caught my eye first.

Readers of my latest book "Atmospheric Watercolours" will be able to find a demonstration for this subject on page 118 in the "Fabulous Effects" chapter. Owners of my latest DVD "Watercolour Passion" can see how I apply the cling wrap to form the petals of each flower in my carnation demonstration.

There are so many ways to apply cling wrap. Clever application makes painting complicated patterns very simple. You can see, in the close up below, how gorgeous the petals underneath the cling wrap look already. As an artist I will have very little to do to complete this fabulous painting.

Close up of the hollyhock watercolour showing how cling wrap has created beautiful petal effects.

I do literally make the most of summer and my garden. I paint what I can when each flower blooms as I know their time to shine is very short. In many ways I learn so much from nature. I remember my Stepmother, when I was a child ,often saying " Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today". In the world of floral art that saying rings so true. Because if you wait too long the flowering is over and you have missed a great opportunity to paint something from life whilst it is at its best.

Hollyhock, opposite my studio door in my cottage garden

From my latest book " Atmospheric Watercolours "

Page 118 Hollyhocks Exercise

"Simply Stunning Hollyhocks

When I look at any new subject the first thought that always comes to my mind is how I can bring it to life in watercolour. I consider the best techniques to capture the essence of what I see. The “Crinkle Technique” as I call working with cling film can be used to create stunning backgrounds or exciting foregrounds. However with well planned placement, this technique can be used to create complex petal formations for many floral subjects that could initially appear far too difficult to achieve."

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My books are available from Amazon.com and my DVDs' are available from my web site online shop

www.jeanhaines.com

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."