Leisure Painter - UK (2019 - Summer)

40 SUMMER 2019 http://www.painters-online.co.uk

W

hen I look closely at the

petals of the white flower

I plan to paint, they are not

actually pure white, but host a collection

of other colours reflecting onto them

from surrounding sources. Very often the

colours from leaves, nearby flowers and

other objects behind a plant will show

through transparent petals, influencing the

overall appearance of the flower. The sun

brightens and makes highlights while also

casting shadows. Shaded areas below the

top layers of petals may actually be made

up of colours, such as pale lilacs or grey.

If we study carefully the photo we’re

using as reference for this painting (left)

I can see a hint of pale yellow and pink

on the surface of the petals and a touch

of lilac in the shadows.

Before drawing the shape of the

flower I’m painting I plan which colours

I want to use rather than using whatever

dried paint is left on a palette. I rely on

leaving the paper white rather than using

white paint to create the flower. To make

the shape of it stand out against the

background I add contrast by surrounding

How to paint a delicate white peony on white paper

using the glazing technique, with Gwen Scott

White on white

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

nPractise glazing using

transparent watercolours

nHow to paint a white subject

on white paper

nUnderstand your colours

Watercolour

THE GLAZING TECHNIQUE

To show how each glaze alters

the underpainted colour, I painted

thin washes of transparent colours

in rectangular shapes using

permanent rose, transparent

yellow, Prussian blue and Winsor

violet. Once these were thoroughly

dry I painted on top with another

thin wash of colour. When pink

is painted over yellow it turns

orange, and blue over pink

creates a lilac colour. Remember

not to glaze violet over yellow

or it will turn brown.

Your reference photograph for this project: a white peony

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