This new series is on how to paint flowers for those who love painting flowers.
Watercolour painting by Ada Fagan:
How to paint cosmos flowers:
Preparation:
First use liquid masking to form the flowers, stalks, leaves and tiny buds. I use a eyedropper instead of a brush. Wash out the eyedropper quickly after use, and again with a pipe cleaner.
When the masking is dry, finely spray the watercolour paper with water, both sides.
And then while the paper is still wet, paint freely over the masking liquid and the whole painting:
Undercoat:
First with a light wash of raw sienna. This will give you a yellow sunny effect.
The background colouring in:
When the raw sienna wash is dry paint in all the background. Start with from the top and working down, and from left side if you are right handed.
Work quickly with all the different colours and allow them to softly blend. Keep the sky area soft and more blended.
As you are working the watercolour paint is naturally drying slowly. So your brushstrokes with start to give more and more definition.
And while it is starting to dry, I fill in the grass strokes and tiny flower buds, etc.
In some places I will wet spot and remove paint to create soft little white cosmos flowers.
Finishing touches:
When your painting is dry, gently remove the liquid masking with your finger.
Then fill in the colours of the cosmos flowers, leaves, etc.
Don't forget using darker colours to fill in the shadows.
Lastly fill in the flower centres and fine detail where necessary.
