Sunday, December 6, 2009

steps to a finished painting...

This painting is big a departure for me. I love painting details and tend to be realistic in my watercolor painting. This painting is more abstract or graphic - not sure what to call it.

But I like how it turned out... here are the steps...

First I just started flinging paint!

Once dry, I glazed another layer on to intensify colors.


Now the fun starts! Using negative painting, I paint the background-
this creates the shape of the sunflowers without actually painting a sunflower.

Letting each layer completely dry,

I keep on glazing negative shapes to make leaves with in the background.

More glazing and negative painting. I also start to lift out paint to make the veins in the leaves.


Layers of paint to flesh out the shape of the leaves. Lift highlights. I don't like how the stalk is cutting the image in half, so I decide to alter that part of the painting.

Sunflowers II, 11" x 14", watercolor on 140# Arches paper

And the final painting...I enjoyed the process of flinging paint and negative painting. I also think the negative painting added a layer of depth that is greater than if I just painted the objects themselves.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

That was amazing watching you work seemingly backwards on this piece! The depth is wonderful...I feel I can just reach right through there, between the leaves,then behind the flowers.
Grand job,Elizabeth, grand job!

Jester said...

This is really beautiful. Thanks for sharing your technique.

Kelly McIntyre said...

That is freaking amazing! I think it would look lovely in my new kitchen along with my lovely daisy!! Might it be for sale??? =-)