Panama Rose
Watercolor Demonstration ~ SOLD
11"x15" watercolor paper
© 2012 Barbara Parish

Curves, flips, connected. 

Soft folds, crisp ruffled edges. 

Color intense to tone. 

Values light to dark.

All on a stem with thorns. 

Can you guess what I am talking about?  Yes! ROSES. 

Roses are one of the most beautiful flowers, yet a new painter has a hard time with all the edges and close action of the petals.   

Here comes the word SIMPLIFY.  Ask yourself what does SIMPLIFY mean to you?  I look at the word simplify and think of less, fewer, selected.  My job of creating a painting is to grab the essence of my subject, not to report every edge and line I see.  Got it?
The rose side view painted with fewer petals, hard edges, with lost edges on the leaves.  

Another technique, I start painting a rose in the center with a dash stroke, and then with the chiseled edge of a flat brush I carve one small line after another, each overlapping in a continuous swirl.  After three layers of swirl I rinse my brush, tap my paper towel to absorb some water from the brush, go back to the rose and touch some edges to release the line.  Now I have lost edges and hard edges.  Try it! 

This technique can be used in all your paintings to create a painterly look.

Join me for a live demonstration August 18^th, Big Bear Lake One-Day Watercolor Workshop.  
To Register:  click Barbara Parish 

Morning at Boulder Bay
15"x11" Watercolor
© 2012 Barbara Parish

This is the demonstration painting I did for my June, Boulder Bay watercolor workshop.  We painted the island reflection and boulders.
One challenge was the gusty wind; all part of on location painting.

July 21st workshop, Bird Refuge at Big Bear Lake.  Join me for another painting day in Big Bear.  We will paint the marshy shoreline, reflections, and birds.    

To register, click web site 
or call me 760 662-3547

Artist to Artist July

Negative and positive painting, what does that mean?

Does your mind go into a busy mode when you think of learning a new painting technique; oh, I need to take out the trash, or oh, the dog needs a bath? Relax! It's not that hard to understand painting techniques.  The hard part is applying the technique.  Let me help you SEE and understand this valuable technique.  You do the practice.  

Paint the NEGATIVE; visualize a variety of shapes when painting outside the subject line.  Refer to the example below.  On the left side, see the flower formed by the painted area along side the flower shape?  The value change pops out the flower form and gives the impression of depth behind the flower..  

Paint the POSITIVE; paint inside the subject line.  Refer to the example below.  On the right side, see the flower formed by painting the petals and center.  The value change creates form.  

The example below shows negative painting on the left side, transitioning into positive painting on the right side.  I painted this in my weekly Friday Painters class to show a simple example to help SEE this valuable technique.  

Be aware of VARIETY; shape, value, line.

Watercolor Demonstration on Negative and Positive Painting
2012 Barbara Parish

If this post helps you understand negative and positing painting, or you have questions, let me know your thoughts in the comment below.

In my watercolor workshops and class the painters actively work with the features of negative and positive painting.  Click on side bar for Seasonal Watercolor Workshops information.

A Paintings Emotional Tug



Convict Lake
watercolor on paper 15"x 11"
© 2012 Barbara Parish

 I remember family fishing trips to Convict Lake, Ca.  Dad would throw out his fishing line and real in as we walked around the lake.  Big trout, good dinner!

This lake is a trickster, it shows calm in this painting, but in an instant the wind comes up and the lake turns traitorous.  White capped swells pound at the shore line, the howling wind, deafening.

This feeling of place; family memories, the thought you would like to be there, are the emotional tugs of a good painting.   The next time you are enjoying a paintings visual story, be aware of what you are feeling; joy, memories, the pull of color, etc. 

Treat yourself, hang paintings that give you the joy of an emotional tug!
Barbara

Friday Painters Demo with Watercolor




Pretty in Pink
15"x22" watercolor on paper
© 2012 Barbara Parish

 I chose a Magnolia tree limb to create an intense statement of color.  My composition is intimate, revealing soft folds of a gorgeous flower in shades of pink and magenta with green.  I love what is going on in this watercolor painting.

I started this painting as a demonstration for my Friday Painters class.  Water, Water, Water, that is one secret to painting with watercolors.

If you are in the Hemet, Ca. area stop by on Fridays to see what the Friday Painters are painting. 
Or register for a one day workshop.   Next Workshop:

June 16th, Saturday, we will paint at Boulder Bay in Big Bear Lake, Ca. 

Textured Boulders and Reflections will be the lesson.

Perspective on Los Rios Street

Put this date on your calendar, May 19th, Saturday  Yes, this weekend!

We will meet at Historical Los Rios Street, by the Depot, San Juan Capistrano, Ca.

The importance of PERSPECTIVE IN YOUR PAINTINGS is invaluable to a painter.




Values add visual dimension to a flat piece of paper

NO! This is not Los Rios Street :-)

 

Sign up and participate in this watercolor workshop, learn perspective with: 

Color ~ Line ~ Value ~ Shape ~ Placement

I will help eliminate your trial and error by teaching you to SEE perspective in Keystone (looking up), Aerial (looking down), and Distance (looking to the horizon).

Leave a comment, let me know if you are attending?

Barbara

Product Review: Watercolor Ground ~ Daniel Smith

Watercolor Ground, a product from Daniel Smith.                                                      



Ugly Duckling, Not
watercolor canvas board 8"x10"
© 2012 Barbara Parish



I am pleased with the easy application and drying time.                                                  

The watercolor brush crossed the surface with no effort and the color dried almost the same intensity.

I found layering color needs a light touch, the under color might lift or the colors blend.  

Nice! Talk about lifting, a damp brush can lift color back to white.  Be careful of blotting with a tissue or towel, the color might lift blotchy.                                                                 

I have covered three sizes of canvas board, ready to paint.  I will take them out on location to paint my next visual story.

The last step before framing, spray with matt fixative. 

To frame, no need for glass, secure the painting with brads, put dust cover on back, wire to hang, name card on dust cover, and your ready to exhibit.

Supplies:

* Watercolor Ground from Daniel Smith

* Gesso brush, can be cleaned with water

* Craft paper to protect the table

* Water to spread ground easier

* Hand made paper or canvas board 

* Fixative, matt finish