I have another simply watercoloured card to share with you today using the Pretty Pansies set from Clearly Besotted. I’ve linked all supplies at the end of this post. Compensated affiliate links used.
This watercolour was another I did while on holiday. I stamped a piece of watercolour card with the large three flower image from the Pretty Pansies set in Antique Linen Distress Ink and then popped that in my case with my watercolours and a couple of brushes. They take up very little room, and I do enjoy some crafty time even while away from home.
I googled pansies to get an idea of colouring and liked the varieties that had a blend of colour from pale purple (Rose Of Ultramarine) to creamy yellow (Hansa Yellow Light) centres with a bold burgundy (Pyrrol Scarlet + Lunar Black) splash of colour on the petals.
For the leaves, I used my favourite layers of colour – Undersea Green, Undersea Green + Ultramarine Blue and also touches of Hansa Yellow Light to add highlights.
I think those flowers are my favourite though and I added the tiniest circle of Lunar Black to draw the eye into the centre.
For the background, I worked a light wash of Blue Apatite Genuine around the flowers, starting with the most concentrated colour close to the flowers and blending outwards with a wet brush. It’s hard to tell, but I also added touches of Rose Of Ultramarine into the background wash while still wet to give colour variation.
On my return home and back in my craft room, I cut the watercoloured panel with a Wonky Rectangle, stamped a sentiment from the Pretty Pansies set in Versafine Smokey Gray, foam mounted the panel on a Neenah Desert Storm card base and finally accented with Sequins.
EVERYDAY WATERCOLOUR
I mentioned in a recent blog post about the art books I was enjoying at the moment. I promised to share my progress, and so I thought today’s watercolour post was a good opportunity to share how I’m getting on with the Everyday Watercolor book by Jenna Rainey. I’m not trying to follow the book through in 30 days but have committed with a friend to find three half hour sessions a week to play and experiment. I am sharing my progress on my Instagram stories if you’d like to follow along there. I aim to not make this about things being ‘pretty’, worrying about lighting and taking a good photograph but instead about simply sharing what I’m doing, quick phone photos and all. So here are a few snaps of the first exercises I’ve completed.
It’s good to get back to basics and thinking about hues, values, wet on dry, wet on wet, brush strokes etc. but most importantly merely taking the time to paint, experiment and have fun.
Top two photos – simple techniques and building muscle memory for shapes.
Lower two pictures – building leaf forms.
I think I need to work on my wreath some and loosen up more – it’s all too uniform, and the style I like and want to aim for is looser and more abstract.
I had this Saunders Waterford spiral bound book already so I’ve allocated that to be my Everyday Watercolor practice book. I had plenty of brushes but decided to try the Princeton ones that Jenna recommends. In the main, I’m using my Daniel Smith watercolour paints. The palette I use is very inexpensive but light and with a good amount of mixing space for the size. I’m also not adverse to grabbing a white plate if I want more mixing space! If you have any more questions, then I’ll try and answer them.
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SUPPLIES
You can find links to the supplies I’ve used below; click on the picture or shop icon to get taken directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my affiliate and product disclosure here. I genuinely appreciate your support.
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PIN ME
Summary of the project which gives all the views of the card in one photo :D I’d love if you pinned and called by on Pinterest :D
Beautiful!
I’d love to be able to do watercolor and have it look like yours! I’m going to check out this book to see if it’s beginner or more advanced, as I need help with my watercoloring.
Marie, I’d definitely say a beginner would find this book useful. I’m not giving myself spoilers and looking ahead to see how advanced it gets, but enjoying taking each day at a time. The beginning of the book is great though for walking you through watercolours and how to use them, wet on wet, wet on dry, colour theory etc.
Beautiful card! Thank you for sharing the details. Pansies, Sweet Peas, and Star Jasmine are the flowers that always remind me of my childhood.
Very Beautiful card ! It’s interesting to see your watercoloring exercises do keep sharing and inspiring:)
Thanks, Pooja. I was worried people would get bored if the watercolouring wasn’t making it on to a card. However, I’m really enjoying myself and so it’s great to know you are enjoying seeing the results.
Gorgeous pansies, love the way you colour them. Thanks for your updat about your Everyday Watercolor. Its interesting to see that even a great artist as yourself, somethimes have to go bakc to the basics.
Oh it’s always good to go back to basics every now and then! I learn something new each time and it’s wonderfully relaxing to paint without a project in mind but simply to discover more about this wonderful medium.
Beautiful watercolor, Debby! Beautiful! I am especially drawn to the distinct, yet delicate, blue outline around most of the leaves. Still trying to figure out how you achieved that.
I took a watercolor class locally many years ago and still have that same small folding plastic palette that was recommended by the instructor. My son (now 38) also developed a love for water colors and made off with many of my tubes of paint. And brushes. Ahhh, the joys of motherhood. :-)
Hi Dori, for the blue outline, I load the brush with paint and draw a thin line next to the flowers and leaves. Then using a wet brush a pull the blue paint out to a faint wash. However, the colour remains deepest where the paint was first laid down. I hope that helps :D
It’s great to hear your son is enjoying painting. It must be nice to have a shared passion :D
Thank you so much, Debby, for the blue outline lesson. I’m going to try it! (fingers crossed, lol)
My son presented me with a framed water color painting as a mother’s day gift. It’s one of my most prized possessions.
Oh wow Debby, I really enjoyed your post! Love your pansy watercolor! I was so happy to see you mention your favorite green mix for the leaves, watercolor greens are so difficult so I was pleased to add this to my exercise list to give a try. And the photos of your work along with the watercolor book, I adore your watercoloring so much so it was such a joy to see your exercise journal book.Thank you so much for this post!
This is a beautiful piece of art !
Beautiful card Debby! Such a great idea to tuck away for time to create during vacation. I love watercoloring with inks but have been very timid about using real watercolor paints. You’ve sparked my interest with the book you’re using and the practice you’ve commited to even as an accomplished watercolor artist. Thanks for sharing your practice and comments about it!