Its fun to go to the grocery store at about 4 p.m. on Valentine's Day and just hang out in the floral department section. Lots of nervous looking guys wandering around clutching flowers and candy, obviously wondering if there wasn't something else they should be getting and wondering why they put it all off until the afternoon of ...
And why was I at the grocery store? Not getting late Valentine's supplies -- all has been covered (and thank you, sweetie for the early flowers :-) Nope, I was looking for yellow produce to use for color studies. Why didn't I think to make red the color for the month of February? It would have been easier!
There's still much to do with the color yellow. It is so hard to make yellow shadows without making mud! The forsythia will be blooming soon, and I have a funny feeling that they will be rendered in colored pencil or pastel, rather than watercolor, unless something clicks for me!(ahem.) This also goes out to those in the EDM group who have been talking about posting our "failures" and practice sketches. Yep. That's pretty much what I would call these! But I'm learning from them -- I'm learning and having fun and that's what is important! So don't be afraid to play!
15 comments:
Yes, but even your "failures" look pleasing to me!
I really like the way you have rendered these yellow peppers.
I wouldn't call them failures! And I really like the one you've added the definition to with pen.
There you go!! I know exactly what you mean about struggling with yellow. Since it is the lightest color in the spectrum, it is hard to make it do all the things the others can do! Using a color's complementary color for shadows works well, especially in the case of yellow and purple. I use purple in shadows a lot anyway, because that is what I see---and, funnily enough, cerulean and/or that cobalt turquoise one mixed with cobalt blue, too, My studio has north light, which may partially explain this ;D.
You have a wonderful and bold way of laying in your color washes. Can't wait to see more!
Thanks to you all! Laura, I've found that you're right about the complementary colors. What I really learned doing these (and more) yellow studies is that it is also the strength of the wash that is important. I think it is the bottom photo where the darks are just way to dark and muddy -- had I done them much lighter, it probably would have been better. I'm going to keep plugging away at it!
FAILURE? Linda, I wish my good stuff looked as good as your failures!!! I LOVE THESE!! They are rich and vibrant and moist and GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like these especially with the writing. I post almost everything including failures. For me it lets me look at them more objectively - as if I were just looking at someone else's work.
Linda,
I like this and wish my failures were this good.
BS Karen
Linda - I think these are on the right track, for sure! I love the one with the pen - very graphic. Rendering shadows is always difficult for me - I have to resist the urge to grab my payne's gray...
Linda,
I like seeing these experiments and I look forward to seeing many more. There are no failures in experiments only things tried and learned.
I couldn't read all of your colors in the handwritten, could you list them, pretty please?
I think your peppers are beautiful!
Karen -- I used Winsor Yellow or Aureolin (which I'm starting NOT to care for) for the first wash on all of these. The next wash or two was New Gamboge, and or Cadmium Orange. The shadow washes were the real experiments -- usually either New Gamboge or Cad Orange on the brush, run through the dried green "trash" mixes in the center mixing well of the palette, Winsor Green, Viridian, and/or Winsor Blue. What I found was that a really orangish-green or orangish-purple done with a VERY dilute wash was best for the shadow sides. Other notes were about the shadows cast by the peppers themselves -- on one of them I did the shadow in a heavy wash of cad orange, then did a wash of cobalt over it once dry. I was surprised that the cad orange almost resisted the cobalt at first -- it was really strange! The second coat of cobalt went on easier. It was weird, and is something I'll experiment with more!
Hope that was what you were looking for!
Great Stuff!
I have to agree with Laura. The only thing that would make this better is the use of complimentary colors in the shadows.
Try them as washes and you wil really see this pop.
I have been distracted for so long that I have not seen your idea for having a colour to concentrate on each month. What a good idea!
Linda, I don't think that they are failures at all! I have never been able to get the hang of watercolor, and I'm in awe of those who even attempt it. I suppose that's why I stick to colored pencil. Looking forward to meeting you in Asheville.
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