There is nothing quite like the vivid audacity of violet purple. Its breath taking, mysterious and altogether satisfying!

Its Silly Saturday
and Vibrant Violet Watercolor is my response.
My need for a Color fix, after the monochromatic Oil landscape painting and a soft delicate zen watercolor was calling. Loud and clear.
So, in a sense this was, inspired by my early yesterday’s bushwalk. Which, resulted in the oil landscape ‘Dry Bushland.’ Just in a round about way.
Be sure to see part 2 of my Silly Saturday, Watercolor Collage, in lovely lilacs and vivid violets.

Materials
- hot press Saunders 100% cotton paper
- watercolors:
- featuring several Blue paints
- cobalt blue genuine
- french ultramarine
- cerulean blue genuine
- permanent alizarin crimson
- permanent rose
- glad wrap
Color Mixing
To create my rich violet purples, 2 Key watercolors were needed to ensure the color mix was dark enough.
- French Ultramarine blue pb29 and Permanent Crimson Alizarin.
- I mixed in the others, in small bits here and there to add inflections, nuances and suggestions.
If you’d like more information on Watercolors, Watercolor Color Mixing and Techniques …. a great Page to get you started is Your Watercolor Basic Tips. There’s plenty there.

I do see a little bit of Zen, Wabi Sabi coming out in this painting. Perhaps, with the 7 Days of Zen Water Reflections still so fresh, that deep rich intensity just has not left my mind yet. Oddly, the Dry Bushlands reference photo and the Water Reflections location…. was in the same area. Just a different day, a difference in a few days longer of no rain.
‘Vibrant Violet’ has a similar thrilling purity and richness of color that Magical Monday and Ways with Watercolor also possess.
Vibrant Violet Watercolor, the Process
I applied the colors onto the papers rapidly; Then placed the glad wrap over the dripping wet paints in vertical style folds with another slight diagonal at the base.
Hoping for some darks to pool at the bottom. Hoping to get perhaps, a look of reflections.
Hoping for the best, and then ‘rolling the dice!’
With this specific watercolor technique it really is the luck of the draw. I can choose my colors, my tonal values, and try to influence the directions the plastic wrap folds in….. and thats about it.

Watercolor Finish The Reveal!
Once the paint is completely bone dry, just peel back the glad wrap.
Deep, dark, intense purples and violet gathering and pooling together created for me, a Happy Place.
“Vibrant Violet” Watercolors for Silly Saturday.
Works for me…. how about you?
On the “Vibrant Violets” piece, what created the almost-white parts, seemingly surrounded by some more reddish tones? Was that just a happy accident with the glad wrap? Beautiful! I need to learn more about water colors – I work in acrylics mostly. Thanks!
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thanks Jesse! partly happy accident…& partly due to my leaving that area just damp without any color in it at all. This, helps to break up the tonal value a bit to give it a little more Light, mid, dark ratio than it might have otherwise. Pinterest could have some fun tips on wc glad wrap demos too. fyi Cheers, Debi
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Well, that makes sense!! LOL I wonder if you would share a photo of your studio? Since you do all kinds of painting (acrylic, watercolor, oils), I’d love to see how you have stuff arranged and stored. My paints, unfortunately, are just separated by type, but jumbled together in bins. I have to DIG to find the colors I want.
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at the moment, studio is Disaster!! but here is link of my post when its tidier…. 🙂 https://debiriley.com/2015/06/03/beginners-watercolours-10-tips-to-get-you-started/
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Ice.
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I’m entranced by the color, the visual variety I see. The plastic wrap technique is awesome. Thanks Debi.
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Sharon, I’m chuckling…. I did say to you, I missed color!
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Vibrant Violet. Love the color and texture….
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thank you David 🙂
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Thank you for the link to your studio photo – wow! So organized! I’m in the process of moving my studio from a 10×10 room to a 20×12 room – YAY! More space! I’m so cramped right now.
I love that you share your paintings, your thoughts, and ideas, as well as tutorials…how incredibly giving that is.
Thank you for the GIVING, the SHARING.
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you are welcome! your new 20×12 will be a real Delight!!
in my previous studio & when I was abit more ‘robust’ I had drawers and shelves ALL LABELLED.
this, is one of the best tips, for a studio besides great Window natural lighting.
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