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 –

 

Tea Time & Watercolor Tips

Actually, I am more of a coffee person but I thought I would share this class project from 2016 with you.

A few watercolor tips:

• A little planning goes a long way.  A small sketch will help you find the best composition for your subject before you start painting.
• Paint what you see, not what you know.
• Keep painting and don’t worry about making mistakes, you can learn a lot from them.  Allow yourself to take risks and try different techniques when learning to paint, you may be surprised with your results.
• When you are learning to paint with watercolor, I recommend starting small with paintings that take only an hour or so of your time.  Completing small paintings will give you a sense of accomplishment,  provide you with many opportunities to try new things, and help you build your confidence painting with watercolor.
• Document and journal your work.  Over time you can see how much you have improved.  I keep a journal of my work listing:  the painting number, painting title, date completed, paper used, brushes used, and sometimes the painting inspiration.
• Have fun and enjoy!

Happy Painting!