STEP 6
Now you’ll color within the shapes that you created with
your pencil lines. Use all of the yellows and blues, along
with white, to mix a range of light and dark yellows and
greens. Vary the colors so that each flower or plant has
interest. This will be a fairly flat layer, without detail.
Note that the dark blue background makes the shapes
stand out. When using transparent pigments, additional
layers enrich and deepen the color.STEP 7
Add details and color to your shapes to bring them to life:
Using quinacridone red and yellow, mix orange to draw lines
in the middle of the large leaves or to darken the yellows of
the flower centers. Add white to the orange for a peach
color. Mix black with red, blue and yellow to add circles to
the interiors of pods or details to other elements. For purple,
mix cerulean blue with red, lightening it with white, when
needed. Divide and subdivide each element to create lines.
Mix greens for stems and lines to fill in the background.
These linear elements help bring the composition into sync.
STEP 5
Using Prussian blue hue diluted with a bit of water,
paint all of the negative space around your pencil
drawing. Don’t worry if this application doesn’t cover
the background; lighter areas will add depth as the
composition develops. Apply a second layer, leaving some
of the first layer unpainted. After the second layer dries,
use Prussian blue hue, Hansa yellow medium and a touch
of titanium white to mix a medium green. With a small
brush, make green marks and stems in the background.STEP 8 (FINAL)
It’s important to return to the background to create as much
line as possible to support the illusion of depth. Mix a light
blue with teal and a little white, plus a bit of acrylic glazing
liquid to make the mixture flow nicely. Apply this color to the
lighter areas of the background, which will brighten them and
bring them forward. With the same color, twirl a vine or two,
or add a bit of shadow in the white areas. Finally, check all the
details: Clean up the edges with a fine brush and Prussian
blue hue; give each color an extra coat; strengthen contrasts
with white. All these layers serve to refine the composition.ArtistsNetwork.com 35