Class Demonstration - Floral Color Wash Technique

Yesterday in class I painted from a live floral set up using the Color Wash Technique. It was an interesting exercise in warm and cool. The shadows looked cool, but they were really on the warm side. The key in a case like this one is to compare the color temperatures to one another.  When I was judging this set up, the flowers were very warm, which made the shadows look rather cool. It works much like values, the easiest (not easy), way to judge is to compare.

I like to look at my subject and compare the shape that I'm working on to the shape next to it. When I'm making a color decision, do the same and compare the shape you are working on to the shape next to it, while squinting at your subject or set up.

Color temperature decision making is one of the more difficult things for a painter. Color itself can be tricky. We get a little confused because we sometimes think that a color is either warm or cool. Not so! It is all relative. Try to make your decisions based on whether your color/value shape is darker or lighter and also warmer or cooler than the surrounding shapes.

This will be a little easier after you have blocked in the original color value shape - and you get it right or nearly right. At this point you can judge more easily.

Plein Air Day at Sand Harbor...

About edges.....

I wanted to share a few ideas with you about controlling edges. This is one of the most important visual elements in painting. It is also a more advanced technique, I believe. I say this because it takes time for our eyes to observe edges correctly. 

The way we see: The human eye takes in what is in front of us in a way that you might not have considered while painting. We zoom in on something as we observe. While doing this, everything around the object of our attention goes into "soft lens mode". Our eyes move from subject to subject, in "zoom mode". Continually, everything that is not in focus is out of focus. 

This is what we must consider as an artist while painting. When you look at a painting, it is best viewed in zoom mode. So pick your focal point early in the painting process. I have found that it works best for me to keep all my edges soft, unless I'm working in an obvious focal area of the painting.

Carolyn Anderson says that our problems with edges have to do with our perception, the way we process what we see. I get it, the image goes in, but we might be getting the message wrong. You can read her post on edges here.

I finished up this little demonstration piece this morning. I started it during my class in Sacramento last Tuesday. It was dry of course, but fortunately I had left the edges soft. It was mostly underpainting, painted using the transparent color wash using the "sauce".

I only had to ad a few strokes to finish it up and I left a lot of the transparent wash as a lighter value in the flowers. I had no photo reference, so I used my imagination. I do this more and more lately, and it's not problem because if I don't like the way it turns out, I throw it out! That takes all the pressure off and allows me to experiment while having no concern (ok, maybe a little), for the outcome.

Okay, about painting edges. Consider that an edge can be painted as a sharp edge, soft edge or even no edge. When two similar values come together, usually in shadow, there is no edge. A cast shadow, at it's base is usually a sharp edge. as the shadow moves away from the object blocking the light, it will turn into a soft edge. A form shadow is almost always a soft edge. At the focal point, use big value and temperature changes and a sharp edge! 

You can learn to create a soft edge with your brush. Paint one value/color shape into the one next to it. Paint from an abstract design, and don't draw on the canvas. Mark your composition using slight marks with paint but don't draw. Stay soft. Keep away from thinking too much and making everything just "so". 

Paint right "into" the shape next to the shape your are painting! Let it blend. If you see an edge that is too sharp, using a clean brush, use a light stroke to pull them together from top to bottom, not side to side with many strokes. 

Use a light touch with your brush. If you see an edge that is too sharp and the paint is dry or is drying, mix the two colors together on your palette and paint that into the edge.

Please comment and leave your questions, or send me an email. We can talk about this further. I'll demonstrate in our next class, just remind me. 

A very tidy palette indeed Suzanne! And I like your notan too!!

One of the set ups at the Studio last week.

Blonds painting flowers!

Everybody in class did a great job. I do love teaching and I love painting flowers so for me, it was a win, win.. 

I was really happy to meet some new painters in my group. You were all a joy to work with and I'll look forward doing it all again in our next class on March 24th.

We talked about a lot of things, but first and foremost, we talked about how to see value and color. What is going on with that? We must learn to see value before we can see color relationships. This is a big topic and I hope to get back to you soon with more about this... R