Deb Ward, GWS, OWS, PWS, WSI - WATERCOLOR/WATER MEDIA - My passion is teaching adult “beginners”. Weekly classes in my home; workshops; classes for Cincinnati Recreation Commission. My work is nationally recognized and published - see “Featured” on my sidebar. I’m a Signature Member of Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana state Watercolor Societies, Cincinnati Art Club, past-President of Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society. Contact info below under “Class Information”

Thursday, October 24, 2013

AGAVE - 3

I began to paint the spikes using watercolor (a blend of dark blue and dark brown for the black and quin. rose for the pink) and tried to lose the whites along some of the edges of the leaves.  I used a mix of sap green, hooker green and some turquoise to mix a green that approximated the color of the ink.  I also decided that some of those lines I had miskited in on the leaves were too stark and had to go, so I began softening some of those areas with the Magic Eraser (as Barb did) and adding some yellows to lighten some areas, and some green to darken some of the lines.

Working leaf by leaf and making adjustments darker or lighter, I worked around the agave.  I decided the white highlights on the leaves were too stark and used a thin watery mix of my greens to dumb them down.  I also darkened some of the area behind the leaves.

I consider this one complete, and a satisfactory rendition of Barb’s technique.  I don’t think it’s nearly as good as the original w/c agave – photo below (which I hope I locate again some day).


It was fun to pour since I haven’t done that in a while.  Now I’m going to pour a peony using the inks and see how that one goes – just going to do it the way I would normally. 

4 comments:

Katherine Harra said...

It's October. Your work is always inspirational (and, to my eyes, successful), but peonies are NOT seasonal. Don't you have some source that is at least late summer? Houseplants, maybe?

The newest agave is as beautiful as the original, but I hope you are able to find it, anyway.

debwardart said...

Peonies are always in season! Truly beautiful flowers.

Barb Sailor said...

I like the original better also - I think because of the light in the background and the random light from the mask. It is much more fresh and spontaneous looking.

debwardart said...

Thanks Barb, I think so too.