Apples - Watercolour, Drawing Ink and Pencils on full sheet of H/W Bockingford

Apples are such a joy to paint - all those complementary colours working together which only make each other more vibrant.

I always keep the basic colour wheel in mind when I paint. Sometimes to achieve contrast, you don't necessary need to adjust the tone - which I think can be more instinctive, but one can juxtapose the opposite colour to find exciting results.

The following colour wheel reminds us of the theory, placing the primaries; red, yellow and blue with their secondaries colours that are achieved when mixed together; orange, green and purple. The opposites are the complementary colours.

The reason why I find these complementaries so vital is that when they are placed together, they enhance their opposite like no other, for example red will make green seem even greener and will give a more balanced palette. Think of red berries on a sprig of holly, a beautiful crisp Autumn day with a cobalt blue sky and bright orange trees, or the yellow throat of a fabulous purple iris. These partnerships are wonderful. The Impressionists found that a little of the complimentary colour applied to the shade of an object will lift it too. A green bush, for example can be improved with a dark maroon worked into the shade. Monet said: “Colour owes its brightness to force of contrast rather than to its inherent qualities … primary colours look brightest when they are brought into contrast with their complementaries.” You can of course mix the complementaries on the palette to obtain lovely rich greys. If you think about it, you are really borrowing colours from the whole palette, just in varying ratios and subtleties.

Apples, a few details -

Pheasant ~ Watercolour and Ink on heavyweight Bockingford

This pheasant has been visiting my veggie patch for weeks now and comes right up to the dining room window. I just wanted to capture him - pheasants are my favourite birds anyway!

The following 2 details, illustrate my use of Winsor & Newton drawing ink (Nut Brown) with wet watercolour. I then rinse the surface quickly, when the media are semi-dry to exaggerate the technique - though it can be simply left. I also used watercolour pencil here and there to pull out detail and give a contrasting hard line.

 

 



Rosa Iceberg II ~ Watercolour and Ink

Another in the series of roses for the Lindfield Festival next month, which is well worth a visit. I will be exhibiting there from 11th - 12th May. See http://www.lindfieldartsfestival.com/ for further details.

It is painted on a full sheet of heavy Bockingford paper with Winsor and Newton watercolour tubes. (I m not a great fan of pans, as I paint on a large scale and love to mix large quantities of paint)

This time I used ink too to achieve a favourite texture of mine... see detail below -

Rosa 'Queen Elizabeth' - watercolour

Whilst life is rosy, I thought I would work on the Fletching Garden Trail painting, which will be raffled in aid of the local village primary school on Sunday 16th June.

 

I used similar techniques to yesterday's painting, changing the paletter to Permanent Rose, Cobalt Violet (always a favourite) and Quinacridone Magenta. Added a little vodka - only to the painting - too. This has a wonderful affect, repelling the pigment as it goes....

Rosa Iceberg - Watercolour

 

Keeping a very simple palette of Ultramarine Violet, Naples Yellow, Potters Pink, French Ultramarine, Quinacridone Gold and a little Sap Green, I let the colours mingle to produce subtle nuances of pigment. 

I masked out the petals that I wanted to keep bright white. Texture was added with Malden sea salt (which was washed off under the tap to remove traces completely and to achieve a greater breaking up of the surface.) Cling film was placed on wet paint in parts and left to dry, to find that natural 'crumpled look'. I then shaved watercolour pencil onto wet paint to give a slightly aged appearance to some of the petals and leaves. This is a useful way of delivering contrasting colours in a very gentle way

Gradually, I used French Ultramarine with a little sap Green to pull out the deep tones, spraying the paint here and there to guard against stilted hard edges - just keeping a balance.

This is a commissioned piece

Evening on the Forest ~ Acrylic and pastel on canvas (90 x 60cm)

I have been continuing to work on landscapes and was drawn to this view on the Ashdown Forest, as my husband and I strolled along this grassy track. It was gently lit with a beautiful peachy glow. I generally used Naples yellow, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, and French ultramarine - keeping the palette simple, to ensure harmony and softness.

I used a little pastel again, as I love the immediacy of the strokes and have spray varnished it to protect the surface.

I am hoping to have this exhibited at the Ashdown Gallery, Forest Row soon.

Detail below ~

Mid Sussex Times - 4th April 2013

 

It was lovely to meet Mayor, John Sabin at Gallery 16. He was very enthuastic about the project to develop art and culture  for the Haywards Heath Community. I am proud to be a part of it!

 

http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/videos-and-slideshows/new-gallery-opens-in-haywards-heath-leisure-centre-1-4956074

 

Heather at Broadstone, Ashdown Forest - Acrylic on canvas (90x60cm)

I love the Ashdown Forest and the heather in mid Summer is breathtaking. I have painted this several times, so worked from previous sketches in the main.

This will be exhibited at the Ashdown Gallery throughout April, together with my series of birch watercolours.

Sussex Weald II - Acrylic and pastel on canvas (120 x 100cm)

I am continuing my series of Sussex landscapes and enjoying the larger scale.

Following my preview event at Gallery 16, the owners of Hendall Manor Barn, Herons Ghyll, approached me with the a wonderful invitation to exhibit my work in their fantastic conference/wedding venue.  I am thrilled to be working with them and this is the first that will be heading their way!