This Challenge is/was a Watercolor Rose Study. I am happy now to tell you that my Rose painting is finished and I am more happy that so many artists joined the challenge. Some are still working on their roses and I hope they find my teaching how I do a rose helpful.
If you want to try doing a rose by yourself so I encourage you to visit this challenge. I posted the drawing, the ref.pics. and explained my steps how I am working. On this forum are other helpful challenges and tips.
While you are there please visit also Susan Harrison-Tustain's Website. It is completely new and WOW! what a source for artists. Please visit the Artist's Site to find helpful FREE articles, Video Clips of her Watercolor DVDs, Publications for download in many many magazines and also her Blog. Enjoy your tour through her website and do not forget to visit her Gallery of Oil and Watercolor Paintings on the Fine Art Site and take a sneak preview into her new exhibition paintings.
On my Rose Painting I tried some new brushes. I will tell you more in my next post.
This is another small Rose painting. It is a painting of the Rose Clair Renaissance, one of my favorite roses. This Rose has a pale pink colour and I love to create the shadows. The inner glows with an yellow underwash of Indian Yellow, I then added Translucent Orange and then a mix of Scarlet Red and Translucent Orange.
Artists often ask how a dark background can be created. It is really easy to do.
When I am doing a background I do at first wet the area, on which I want to paint. Sometimes I do paint on the dry area, apply my colours there and then go immediately with a wet brush over the edges, so that no hard edges are created. But this I do only on really small areas.
Now back to the better method. I do wet the area I then apply my colours just I like them, some yellow, some orange, some sap green, some red and also some darker colours like a mix of alizarin crimson and phthalo green or I am using Paynes Grey Bluish. I apply these colours side by side, this allows me also to create an interesting background, when you want that some lighter areas will show between some darker areas.
Of course the first underwash will not be enough, the colours are light and it would look too colourful. Wait until all is dry and then do the same. Add the green, where you want to have the green, add more yellow, where you want to have it glowing a bit more, add some darks, when you want more darks. When this is still not enough, let it dry and then add another layer. Do it so long until you are happy with your background.
It works absolutely perfect and is so easy to do. The darker the background the more the flower will pop in your painting, adds more drama to the artwork.
The shadows on this Rose were created with a mix of Alizarin Crimson, Phthalo blue, a bit of Translucent Orange to the mix, where I wanted to have the shadows warmer. Where I wanted to have them cooler I used a bit more of the blue.
Collection of Roses paintings, each 6x6 inch (15x15 cm), watercolor on paper
copyright: Doris Joa
I painted more and more roses in the past time. Here I am displaying some of them. Each is 6"x6" (15x15 cm) and each is painted on 140 Lb hotpressed paper.
All are sold, but some are still currently running on ebay. If you want to have a look please click here. My starting price is $19.95 and shipping is $8 worldwide. I do combine shipping for up to 6 or 7 small original paintings or prints.
It looks great to see the Roses displayed together and it makes absolutely much fun to create them.
Her Moment in the sun, watercolor, 20x28 inch (50x70 cm)
copyright: Doris Joa
And here is my newest figurative painting of a young girl/woman standing on a bridge and enjoying the moment in the sun. It is painted on 140 Lb coldpressed watercolor paper, stretched over stretcher bars, size is 20"x28" (50x70 cm).
While working on some other projects I couldn't resist to do some Rose paintings.
Here are a few. Pink Roses, white Roses and a Yellow Rose. Some are painted on 140 Lb coldpressed paper, others on hotpressed paper and others on the heavier 340 Lb coldpressed paper. I like all three surfaces.
All these paintings are listed on ebay in auction, with a starting price of $19.95. Shipping is $8, combined shipping without additional shipping costs is also possible. When you want to have a look, please click here
If you are searching for a special rose or a special colour please just send an email.
Do you also want to have your favorite roses painted? ust send an email.
Here are some more steps of my Rose painting in oil.
The size is 20"x20".
In the shadows I am using all colours on my palette: Sap Green, Cadmium Yellow, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, Cerulean blue, phthalo green, phthalo blue. I add Naples Yellow to the titanium white to have not such a harsh white - I want to have the rose not be too cool. I am curious by myself how this painting will look when it is finished.
In my previous post I mentioned that I was working on a pink Rose in oil. Today I finished this painting. It needed longer then I thought, because I really needed to get a feeling for the oil colours again. But with each brushstroke I was getting more confidence.
Pink Rose, medium: oil, size: 16x16 inch (40x40 cm)
Price: $450 plus $50 shipping (airmail and insurance)
Currently I am working on another Rose in oil. It is a creamy white Rose. The german name is Rose Elfe, which means in english: Rose Fairy.
Here is a photo of my working process.
As you can see I covered my white canvas with a lemon yellow underwash in acrylic. I chose acrylic because it dries very fast.
I am right handed and so I started in the left corner. I do not work in layers. It is totally different to my watercolors. I paint in a direct way using opaque and transparent colours. I apply my colours just where I see them and then blend them together. It also allows me to soften my edges immediately. But this doesn't mean that I never have to go back to some areas. Often I see things later where I need to add another layer or to darken areas or to lighten then or to change the colours a bit. But it gives you a good suggestion about how I work with oils. I am using only Walnut oil and Walnut Alkyd Medium from M. Graham - no turpentine - nothing else.
This is just a short note. If you haven't seen it yet, there is a new link Step-by-Step-Demonstrations added in the right sidebar.
There is a full detailed study of the Rose Open Arms and also two other demonstrations, one is of the Heidi Klum Rose and the other one is a beautiful floral botanical study of a pink rose.
I hope you will find these Lessons helpful. Visit the Demonstrations by clicking here.
I am currently working on two paintings - a figurative painting of a young girl at a lazy afternoon and another Hydrangea painting on Aquabord - both in watercolor. I will post a WIP of them when there is something to show.
So long I am just wishing you all a wonderful friday with this Orange Rose. This is a Watercolor Painting and size is 10"x12", painted on coldpressed paper.
Rose Clair Renaissance IV - 12"x16" (30x40 cm)
painted on 140 Lb hotpressed stretched watercolor canvas
In my previous post I posted some Steps of my newest Rose Painting. And I couldn't resist and wanted to finish it as I also wanted to see how it develops.
When I started the Rose painting I only wanted to add a few leaves there but then I decided to paint more and also some buds.
Here are a few step-by-step-photos. Click on the images to enlarge them.
I used the same colours as I mentioned in my previous post.
The apricot colour was achieved with at first doing a deep layer of Indian Yellow. I then added some Translucent orange and then I used a mix of Translucent Orange and Permanent Rose.
The leaves were created with Aureolin, Indian Yellow, Phthalo Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Phthalo Green and Translucent Orange. My favorite green tube is empty, so I needed to mix the green by myself.
Yes, I know, the figurative painting isn't finished yet, but I couldn't resist.
I have done some Step-by-Step-Photos, so you can easily follow this work in progress. At first you will see the Drawing and then you are getting an idea about how I build up my layers.
My colours in this painting are: Indian Yellow, Aureolin yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Translucent Orange, Permanent Rose, Phthalo Blue and Phthalo Green.
It is wonderful to see the Rose developing and I know the look will completely change when I start with the background. I will go with a dark background, which would make the Rose pop.
The painting has the size 12x16 inch on stretched watercolor canvas.
In my previous post I was asked by Krista, whether I am stretching the paper by myself or whether I am buying it pre-stretched. Here in Germany pre-stretched watercolor canvas are not available. So I was happy when Joyce Faulknor taught on her blog how she stretches her paper. I tried it and it is so easy to do. I have tried it with hotpressed and also coldpressed paper. It works perfect. You should try it.
I do wet the area I then apply my colours just I like them, some yellow, some orange, some sap green, some red and also some darker colours like a mix of alizarin crimson and phthalo green or I am using Paynes Grey Bluish. I apply these colours side by side, this allows me also to create an interesting background, when you want that some lighter areas will show between some darker areas.
