Category Archives: Flower Watercolor Painting

Daily watercolor painting – Orchid Watercolor Painting

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Orchid Watercolor Painting - Pencil outline and mask

This  new 15 x 22 watercolor painting based on an orchid photo I have taken during my latest trip to Singapore last month.  The photo was taken in the Singapore Botanical Garden where many varities of orchid are grown and displayed.  I started this watercolor painting by sketching out the orchid onto the cold press watercolor paper.  Then a mask was used to cover the orchid area because I planned to do a watercolor wash for the whole background.   Pebeo drawing gum was used for the blocking out and the masking of the orchid.

Watercolor Painting – Flower Arrangement Final (Washing Off Technique)

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7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor Painting - Flower arrangement

7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor Painting - Flower arrangement

I have finised, or should I say re-finished the flower arrangement watercolor painting using the washing off technique as described on yesterday’s post.  It was lots of fun and although I still am not too happy with the result of the vase and it’s shadows, I think it makes a vast imporvement from my pre – washing off technique effort.  I like the softer overall feel that this washing off technique yield to the watercolor painting especially to the background and the flower arrangement.  Using this technique means the painting is painted, then the surface watercolor layer is washed off and repaint again.  This can be done as many times as the paper can take.  A fun technique to try out and explore.

Flower arrangement before washing off technique

Flower arrangement before washing off technique

Watercolor Painting – Flower Arrangement (Washing Off Technique)

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7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor - Floor Arrangement

7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor - Floor Arrangement

I have reworked my watercolor painting on the flower arrangement using the technique called washing off.  It is a technique where you subject a finished water color painting under water and use a scrub or a brush to remove the surface color.  Then the painting is dried and repainted to yield a more richer and more fully integrated effect.  I have picked my flower arrangement painting for this technique becuase I think the background was too dark and disorganized.

7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor painting - Flower

7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor painting - Flower

I have posted the ‘before’ painting in the Dec 14 post above and you can see how dark the painting used to be.  I have shown after the washing off technique with layers of watercolor being applied on the background including the dark shadow areas.  I still need to work on the flower area, a bit on the shadows  and on the flower pot as well.   Painting everyday is very helpful to my watercolor progress, a time to quiet down and listen to music on the side.  Do a small watercolor sketch or part of one  if you do not have time to do a whole painting every day.

Watercolor Painting – Flower Arrangement

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7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor painting - Flower

7.5 x 10 inches Watercolor painting - Flower

I have finished this 7.5 x 10 inches watercolor painting this weekend.  The dark background is quite a challenge and I found that painting background is just as time consuming as doing the subject.  I have used gradated wash on most of the background with layers of watercolor to get it to the desire color and effect.  I need to practice more on the flat wash which I have use mostly on the background of this watercolor study.  Gradated wash is also used and it the the intensity of the dark color that I have problem with.  The mixing of various colors to get the right dark grey or black watercolor is so important.  Also I found the watercolor texture I try to do for the background is very challenging to me as well.  I should practice more on the basic of doing texture in watercolor painting.

Watercolor Painiting – Flower arrangement

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Watercolor Painting - Flower Arrangement 7.5 x 1o inches

Watercolor Painting - Flower Arrangement 7.5 x 1o inches

Last night I started a watercolor painting and the subject is a flower arrangement.  I painted from the pictures I took last Sunday at Church.  It is s nice arrangement in a brown beige earth tone pot.   I saw sunlight hitting a few of the pews and took the arrangement and sit it on the edge of one of the pew with the light shinning on it.  It was quite nice as the light hit part of the pot as the background receive no illumination at all.  I took many shots turning the arrangement around for future reference for  watercolor painting.  The one watercolor I did last night was drawn on a 7.5 x 10 inches Arches cold press water color paper.  I started on the top left hand corner painting the green stems and work my way through to the bottom right hand flower bud.  It was a good watercolor exercise involving wet into wet wash as well as gradated wash.  Although there is still lots to be done on this flower arrangement watercolor painting but I am quite happy with the progress and I cannot wait to put on the dark wash for the background so that the flowers and buds will stand out from the white paper as they are suppose to.

Heliconia Watercolor Painting – Flower Painting

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Heliconia - Light background

Heliconia - Light background

Heliconia - Medium Dark Background

Heliconia - Medium Dark Background

Heliconia - Final Painting With Dark Background

Heliconia - Final Painting With Dark Background

I have finally finished painting this Heliconia.  I took me quite a bit of time and effort.  I found that I still have a lot to learn in watercolor washes, watercolor paint characteristics and the characteristic of the various watercolor paper as well.  Painting is an on going learning process.  It is not simple and yet it eludes me everytime I think I got it under control.  More practice is needed.  That’s for sure.

Flower Watercolor Painting – Artist Trading Card size (ATC)

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Flower Watercolor Painting

Flower Watercolor Painting

This flower watercolor painting  2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches should be done as a larger painting.  There are details in which a small painting just have not enough room to paint on.  I have use Windsor and Newton artist watercolor on this flower painting doing it in various washes.  The most challanging part of the flower are the large patels.  I need to use a small brush because of the small size of the painting.  But the layers of wash keep on drying quicker than I anticipated and I need to work fast in order that the area stays wet enough for the wash.  Over all I am quite happy with the result and I like the very dark background which gives the flower the 3 dimension look it needs.   I might want to go back on the Heliconia painting to make an overall dark background.

Heliconia Watercolor Painting – day 2

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Heliconia Watercolor Painting

Heliconia Watercolor Painting

This daily watercolor I did of a Heliconia flower is quite a challenge for me.  I have since finished it and signed it.  First of all, I do not want to paint this watercolor so it is overly worked.  I need to stop before the water colors go muddy.  I have choose a dark blue mixed with green and purple color background and with this dark value, the subject stands out more when compare to the light color one before.  The value of the background have changed and I think it helps to define the subject of the Heliconia.  I use Winsor and Newton tube watercolour and Van Gogh Watercolors.  I like to hear some experience from anyone that uses pan watercolor especially the large pan watercolor that is made by Winsor and Newton.  I found that their tube watercolor dries so fast after it’s been squeeze out of the tube.  I wonder if there is a shelf life for tube watercolor.