My 21st sketchbook which I dedicated specially to wild flowers, allowing me to explore ways of adding more depth and textural interest in my botanicals. I filled this sketchbook during the Covid lockdown of Spring 2020, when I would take long (socially distanced) walks with my daughter in the spring sunshine. We noted all the blooms that were coming into season, as part of her home learning. The daily outings awakened my curiosity and compelled me to start chronicling the wildflowers we saw. In some ways it was a reaction to the lockdown we were under, using what freedom of movement we had to explore. Oftentimes in the past I had retreated to the safety of my sketchbook despite personal circumstances.
Quite unexpected one sunny day I decided to pull out a dandelion in my garden, roots and all and paint the entire thing. I’d never painted a dandelion when it was at the flowering stage. Or paid much attention to the distinctive leaves and had certainly never painted a root in any sketch. I thought what an interesting way to fill up a new sketchbook, by documenting the hedgerow flowers or weeds I spotted in my daily walks.
Other reasons I especially enjoyed filling this special sketchbook were :
painting the flower several times over gave me a much deeper understanding and appreciation of its unique attributes...this is something I commonly do but my observational skills were even more heightened.
I could incorporate and further explore the textures or blooming that occur under certain conditions which is one of my joys when working in watercolour.
I turned the sketchbook portrait so both pages and give me an opportunity to play with the vastly elongated area - something I’ve never done before.
My florals have appeared on cards, wrapping paper, gift bags,and fabric. My preferred way of working is relaxed exploration of expressive florals laid down in watercolor with essential inky details on top.
Many folks have wondered how I seemingly achieve effortless watercolor florals which stay vibrant and fresh, rather than too overworked. But how do I go about doing this?
I created a very informative Skillshare class, where I shared insights and best practices for producing expressive Watercolors, including clearing the headspace for our flowering florals. By using playful exercises, we can shift our attention from the need to portray accurate depictions and instead simplifying it down to capture the essence of your flower.
As a recovering perfectionist, creating artworks in watercolor and ink appeals to my personal taste and capabilities as it allows me to have the balance between the carefree side of me and the need for a few details. The guiding principles I present, like shape, value and color mixing tips can be applied easily to any subject matter you decide to paint and still achieve the same spontaneous results.
Big brushes and vibrant colors can take center stage in this approach, along with bolder contrast and descriptive lines. In my Organic Expressive Florals class there are three full length demonstrations in which I take you through my entire process. Whether you're just starting out with watercolors or are well-versed in this medium, I will present a really unique and intuitive way of working that will produce enchanting wildflower depictions.
