Step by step hydrangeas

The hydrangeas at Lowes jumped into my cart: two varieties. Therefore, a painting was needed.

Before I start a new subject, I will often do some color or study notes. Until recently, I have used gesso-primed mat board scraps to do these. Two dear students left me some masonite primed with gesso which has been even better (until I have used it up).

I thought as I painted this color note today that you might be interested in a "how to".
Here are hydrangeas: step by step.

This is done in one go (not dried and layered). The lowest layers are transparent colors and have a small amount of linseed mixed with them. The under painting of the hydrangea blossom is magenta. The dark areas in the blossom are ultramarine blue and/or dioxazine purple. The leaf shapes are ultramarine. The background under layer is Indian yellow (Winsor Newton)

The second layer uses opaque colors. However, this layer has ONLY paint (no added linseed). To achieve the sharp square shapes, a flat brush with a crisp edge is placed edge-into the underlayer and the lower paint is "pulled into" the square shape. The colors of the hydrangea petals are ultramarine, cobalt and serves blues mixed with each other and various amounts of white. The brush is also placed on its side to achieve the narrow marks. Some deeper dark blues and purples are reapplied with thicker paint. Small dots of white mixed with a hint of lemon yellow complete a few petals.  The background is ice blue with white, ice blue mixed with cobalt that is already lighted by white, and sap green lightened with lemon yellow. The leaves are sap green mixed with lemon yellow "dug into" the ultramarine underlayer.
I hope to have the painting ready to show you tomorrow.

July 4th/ watercolor/ 10 x 8/ $125
Purchase here

                                          Here is the  added flag. Thank you for your comments!!



Studio flowers studied..ready to paint!