Demonstrations
- Learn from great artists, but never copy other people’s work.
- Use your own photos and reference material, always respect copyright, be honest.
- Do a lot of drawing and practise with different mediums, start with easy subjects.
- Become part of an art group like an International watercolour Association of South Africa. They organize exhibitions and give you exposure. Even art groups in your town or city can be great to join. Sometimes they do plain air paint outings and you learn a lot from them.
- Join art groups at art retreats like Sunnyside Guest farm near Clarens for week-long art holidays. You learn a lot from good artists and it gives you time for your art.
- Keep on painting even if you get some nasty critique from people…don’t get discouraged and paint what you love.
You will need:
- Stretched watercolour paper, 300g rough. Arches or Saunders Waterford.
- Watercolour paint, artist quality,
- Warm colours: Ultramarine blue; Permanent Alizarin crimson; Indian yellow
- Cool colours: permanent rose, phthalo blue, Aureolin
- Masking fluid
- Clean water and paper towel
- Your own reference photo, not from a magazine or internet
Step 1: Basic drawing of the succulent is done with a 3B pencil
Step 2: Highlights on leave edges are covered with masking flued.
Step3: Look carefully on your reference photo where the shadows are and paint all shadow areas with Ultramarine blue.
Step 4: Sunlit areas on the leaves and ceramic pot is painted with any of the 3 cool colours. I have used Aureolin yellow on the leaves and a mix of the permanent rose, phthalo blue and Aureolin on the ceramic pot. A grey can be mixed with those 3 colours without making mud.
Step 5: Start adding colour in the shady areas with your warm colours, Indian yellow, Permanent Alizarin crimson and Ultramarine blue. A beautiful dark grey can be achieved with the 3 warm colours and light and dark tones are achieved.
Step 6: Continue to fill in the dark sides of the leaves with warm colours and sunlit parts with your cool ones. Make sure you achieve a range of mid-tones between the very dark side and the highlights. Look careful at the leaves and do not paint all leaves green as you will find if you look carefully you will see reds and purple and brown in the leaves. Adding a bit of turquoise or purple creates interest in your shadows.
Step 7: Remember to leave soft edges at the bottom where the leaves come together and where they meet with the background. Hard edges can be wet and pat with a towel to soften the lines.
Step 8: Wet the negative space or background and drop in colours. I have used my warm colours closer and cool towards the back of the scene. I have used lighter tones towards the back against lighter leaves, as well as less contrast, to create depth. Most contrast should be in your focal point.
Step 9: Remove masking flued and soften hard lines with a damp brush without losing all-white highlights. The rotten edges of leaves are done in shady side with a grey mix of warm colours and sunlit side with a light tone grey mix of the 3 cool colours.
