New Artist - 2016__

Pansy Study: a step-by-step guide

Work on alternate petals to prevent paint running from one damp petal to the next.

Once edges

start to dry,

stop pa inting

Step 3 Step 4

Step 5 Step 6

Use a cloth or kitchen towel to regulate the amount of water or paint
on your brush. Once the edges of the wet shape start to dry, leave
well alone. By fiddling at this stage the freshness of watercolour can
be lost. If need be, this stage can be repeated in a second layer once
the area is completely dry.

Work on alternate petals to prevent the run of water or paint

from one damp petal to the next. Once you are happy with the

background colours, leave to dry completely. You can then add the

stronger colour at the centre of the pansy. This can also be done

wet-in-wet so that you don’t get hard edges on these dark areas.

Alternatively, the colour can be painted onto dry paper and the

edges softened at the detail stage.

For the final details and markings, pick up almost dry paint on the

tip of your brush and use it like a pencil to ‘draw’ the detail you see.

The colour on your palette will have dried a little by this stage and

the edges of this drying puddle is ideal for this part of the project.

Build these dry strokes up gradually. If the paint is lifting back off your

picture, it may be that your brush is too wet. Dry your brush on your

cloth before proceeding.

Using small amounts of paint on the brush, observe and add
darker areas on the edges of the petals to indicate shadows and
undulations. If the paint is too watery or there is too much paint
on your brush, wipe the excess on a cloth or kitchen towel.