Chives in Bloom

I have a few potted chives on my deck that are in full bloom. The fluffy purple blooms are such a sweet sight to see. Below are a few attempts last weekend at painting the chives. I used the same photo and mixed it up a bit and the result was three very different watercolor paintings.  Hope you enjoy!

My 1st painting was on Canson watercolor paper.
Just chives with some detail.

Chives in Bloom 1

My 2nd painting was in my Pentalic watercolor sketchbook.
I added a background and additional colors.

Chives in Bloom 2

My 3rd painting was on Canson watercolor paper.
A loose style with a background.

Loose – Chives in Bloom

Which of the three paintings do you prefer?  I would love to hear your feedback.

Watercolor tips:

• Give the rigger brush a try, it is great for working on detail.  The more I use this brush, the more I fall in love with it.
• Try painting the same subject a few different times.  Mix it up using a different color palette, trying a different background, or using different brushes. See what happens, you might just be surprised and delighted  (as I was with the chives).

Happy Painting!

Patty Anne

Foxglove Flowers in Bloom

Springtime is here!  The birds are singing and the flowers are blooming. I bought my first Foxglove plant last weekend. My beautiful plant has lavender flowers and many little buds just waiting to bloom.

Here is a quick watercolor painting of my new plant.

Watercolor painting notes:
7×10 inch mix media sketchbook
Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton watercolors
Round #6 and Rigger #0 watercolor brushes

Painting tips for beginners:
– Stay positive and keep painting.
– Start with your lightest colors first and then build up to your darker colors.
– Try to keep a few unpainted spots here and there, it will add a little sparkle and interest.

Happy Painting!

Patty Anne

Pink Patio Flowers

This is watercolor painting #370 inspired by a picture I took while on vacation a few years ago. The pink patio had beautiful flowers and plants, it looked like a very nice spot to sit and have a cup of coffee and enjoy the morning sun.

Pink Patio Flowers

Watercolor painting notes:
6×9 inch watercolor paper 140#
Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton watercolors
Round #10, #6, and Rigger #0 watercolor brushes
Black Micron .03 and .01 pens

I bought a new set of black micron pens with various size tips and am having fun trying them out.

Happy Painting!

-Patty Anne-

Oh my Daisy

I’ve always loved daisies, they are one of my favorite flowers. I have a few different varieties in my garden. Here is a quick watercolor painting from my 7×10 mixed media sketchbook.

Yellow Daisies

A simple composition and sketch with pen.  I love the daisies here but wish the leaves were a brighter green.

Painting notes:
Daniel Smith watercolors
Winsor & Newton watercolors
Black micron pen .05
Round #10 watercolor brush

Watercolor tips and notes:

• Change your rinse water when it gets cloudy, that may have been why my greens aren’t as bright as I would have liked.
• Don’t overwork it. I think I stopped early enough on this one but I have to always remind myself of this.
• Be careful with the amount of water you use on the mixed media paper.  Try to avoid puddles and very watery washes because the paper will wrinkle and buckle up.
• Keep in mind that the more you paint and practice, the better your paintings will become.  This was probably the best advice given to me by my watercolor instructors.

Happy Painting!

– Patty Anne –

Pink Dogwood Tree

The Pink Dogwood tree in my yard is in full bloom.  It is such a beauty!
This is watercolor painting #364 from my 7×10 Mixed Media sketchbook – inspired by my Pink Dogwood tree.

Pink Dogwood Tree in Bloom

A few tips and notes:

• Mixed media paper doesn’t handle as much water and pigment as watercolor paper.
• It was difficult to get the fun mingling of colors in the watercolor washes on this paper.
• After the painting dried, I ended up liking it more than when I was working on it.
• I need to push myself to use brighter colors and washes.

Happy Painting!

-Patty Anne-

 

 

 

Bleeding Hearts in Bloom

This is from May 2016, 5×8 watercolor sketchbook,  #144 Bleeding Hearts

-Watercolor and micron pen-

Looking back, I think I will try using pens a bit more with my watercolors.

Something about this flower makes me smile, maybe because the little hearts are dancing and singing and it is overflowing with love.

Happy Painting!

-Patty Anne-

Then & Now – Tulips

Tulips have been a bit challenging for me, but I think I’ve come a long way.

Watercolor Tulips – Then

Tulip Garden – March 2016 watercolor painting

and now, April 2017 (hopefully, you will agree that this is much improved)

Blushing Tulips – April 2017 watercolor painting

Today I framed the Blushing Tulips watercolor painting to give to my Mom on Mother’s Day.   I really hope she likes it.

What I’ve learned:

Keep painting and journaling.  Note what works and doesn’t work for you.

Loosen up and have fun.  When I’m playing and not trying so hard, I usually have better results.

The Rigger brush is great for adding in fine details, a splash of color, or extra definition at the end.

Know when to put down the brush and stop so that you don’t overwork your painting.

Happy Painting!

– Patty Anne –