Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Red Dahlia (WIP)

I finally got around to do the pouring for the 2nd painting I had prepared for the demonstration for the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society on March 6th, and wasn't able to go because of snow.  The painting is 24" x 22" and is on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

I had previously drawn the flower using a grid to enlarge the drawing on the paper.  Then I applied the liquid miskit with the sharpened wooden handle of a paint brush.  I poured this today - this is still with the miskit on the painting. I used watered down acrylic ink instead of watercolor for the pouring part of the painting because I like the intense color and the fact that the paint will not lift when I paint over it with watercolors. 

 I wet the paper and applied the paint with an eye-dropper on the wet surface trying to control the flow of the colors as much as possible.  The miskit helps to keep it in the specific areas- ex. the green running into the red, etc.

After the paint dried, I removed the miskit with a liquid mask remover and it is now ready for me to start the painting with watercolor to finish the painting.

2 comments:

RH Carpenter said...

What luscious colors, Barb. What color are you using for the flower petals - the foxgloves were the same - bold, vibrant, power pinks and violets.

Barb Sailor said...

Rhonda - I used Liquitex acrylic ink - mostly diluted Quinacridone Magenta which I mixed with Pyrolle Red in different amounts - I had 3 different mixtures and then I mixed some orange with the Pyrolle Red for some accent areas. I also mixed the magenta with violet for the more violet areas. Then, when I painted with the watercolor, I primarily used quinacridone magenta - especially for the foxglove painting. I also used blue violet watercolor for both paintings with the shadows. I am constantly mixing colors and it is difficult to establish definite color formulas for you. I have never been one to stick to a precise palette, etc. and am constantly mixing colors - trying them on another paper or towel, and then using them. Hope this helps.