Watercolor Iris Demo #8

Well I am home from clothing market in Vegas with my daughter and son-in-law and it was work but fun. I enjoy every minute of it. Think I missed my calling. ha!
I hope that you can see I am developing some areas now...at this point I am really sliding in carefully so that nothing gets too dark too fast unless I want it that way. I have some decisions to make yet but one I made today was to not make the hairs on that front petal defined as it would become the center of attention and detract from the bee. I may still want to put more there but for now I am leaving it alone to make that decision later.
The grasses behind are just a continuous problem because if I darken one it seems I have to darken ten...but that too will resolve itself as I go along.

It was good to finally find some time to paint. After returning home it seemed there were so many other things that needed attention but now I hope I can work on this through the weekend and finish it up...It has begun to buckle on the large petal which is odd to me so I will have to flatten this before it goes to the framers.

Watercolor Iris demo #7

I had hped to have this done but I am getting ready to leave for a week to help my daughter so had to many other things I needed to do. My hubby doesn't cook so that means I get his food all lined up as well! ha! Plus the bird food, cat food and dog food...so you know I have been a busy girl! ha!

When I get back I will finish up the bee which will allow me to then decide the values of the leaves in the background and how dark some need to go yet. I will also look at some of the values on the iris but felt I needed the bee done first to determine how to make it the center of attention or do I want it to be sort of hidden and a secret find to the viewer...we shall see! Have a good week everyone!

Watercolor Iris Demo #6

Well if you have been watching the news you will know that we have had alot of snow that last few days so all I have accomplished is shovel! ha! But I did try to sneak in a little time this afternoon. I had hoped to be done with this painting by Friday but I do not think that is going to be possible at the speed I am going! Seems if there is something to get in my way it will...guess Murphy is working as hard as he can to keep me from completing this. The reason I wanted it done was I was leaving for a week to the Vegas clothing market to help my daughter. I usually go with her and help her with buying for the store and we have so much fun! So I thought it would be nice to be done with this iris but if it doesn't get done it is going to be very close so I just am not going to worry about it right now. What will be will be!

Now Phyl you can really see the location of the bee better. I think that will be the last thing I work on as far as those blacks because they can bleed and I just do not want a problem over there...so I will wait until the very end to bring in the darkest darks.

Watercolor Iris Demo #6

Well again I had hoped for a full day of painting and company arrived! This is life and we just have to roll with it and at least try to get a little time in...every little bit helps! You can now see the area where the bumble bee will sit and I am beginning to define the center of the iris...I am hoping tomorrow afternoon to work that center of the flower and complete it...I will lay in a few values on the bee before I finish those leaves so I have a feel for the values it will require. My hope is to be done by next weekend or before...so we shall see! I guess the older I get the more I realize what will be will be and not to let it bother me as much as it use to. I just need to enjoy the journey!

Watercolor Iris Demo #5

Well I had to stop at this point because I was unsure of the leaves I am making around the bumblebee...I am just making this part up and I have to rethink where the darks of the bumblebee will be so that perhaps the leaf can turn and be light or dark where needed...so that is what I will do next...I want everything around the bee to be done before I put him in so there is no bleeding back and forth of colors...and then once that is in I can decide if I want areas darker and how to finish off the middle and top of the iris...I need to gauge the values when I am making this up so they still make sense...hopefully! ha!

Watercolor Iris Demo #5

Well I guess it is time to stop as football is starting and then there will be no concentration in this house! Ha! I am hoping that my background doesn't become too busy for this flower...I can always tone things back and soften them when things are done to see what works. Originally the spaces between the grass blades was to be dark but now I am unsure. I always leave myself options and right now I am wondering if the bottom is dark and it rises into the light perhaps we want that area very light so I will stop with any work at the top until the bottom starts to take shape. The bottom is a problem because when I look at my photo the stem is mostly hidden and now it feels odd...so tonight I need to decide how I will design that area to support this massive flower. I truely was hoping to have this done before next weekend but now I am wondering if that is going to be possible. But each day I make progress and so who knows! Just keep trying ones best is all we can do!

The greens are Daniel Smith Sap Green...that is all. The purple is Carbazole Violet and then I use some Quin. Purple and Quin. Rose also from Daniel Smith. In a few areas you will see some Phthalo Turquoise as well.

Watercolor Iris Demo #4

Well this was one of those days I was unsure I would even get to paint but finally I grabbed an hour and 30 minutes and got to try out some background. It really doesn't matter if you do not find alot of time..the most important part is to find some time. Just getting a little of this in helps me get excited where this is going. I like to weave grasses and even if they are not realistic I just love to make them go in and out like a basket...in the end the flower will be center stage and this is just backup material...space filler but filler with interest vs just a solid color which so many resort to because that is easy...I would rather take the chance and try something else even if it doesn't work. Anyway, this is where I am at as the sky gets gray. It is hard for me to paint in the evenings as I just do not see that well anymore with night lights...even if they are bright it just is not the same as natural light for me.

Watercolor Iris Demo #3

I did not get to work all day on this like I had hoped but still I made progress. I think we as artists have to be happy when we make progress no matter how small because it is still a good thing. We are sometimes too hard on ourselves but we do have lives too and we need to enjoy our art but our homes and families as well! I mostly found the shapes within that front petal...Now I will maybe bring more color into that area but perhaps work on another area to find the shapes. A painting is so much easier for me to paint when I see the map of where I am going. I am trying out Quin. Purple to help liven up some areas and I really do like it alot!