A nice easy and simple arrangement with two vases.
One clear, one a dappled cobalt teal blue.
Complementary pairing was used with the flowers – Yellow daffodils and Purple magnolias.
Still Life Techniques
Edges
This painting, has a dominance of hard, sharp edges.
This means it was painted on dry paper and those edges left intact, not softened.
It created a much sharper, ‘in the face’ image than some of my other paintings where I’ve used a higher ratio of softer edges.
Edges hard, medium and soft Watercolor,
Line
The design has diagonal lines, vertical lines and horizontal lines in the image.
This helps move the viewer’s eye through the painting.
Complements
The Yellow and Purple pairing (complements) help to energise the watercolor still life painting further.
This is a great tip to remember for you to use yourselves when you paint. Or even putting on an outfit!
Yellow and purple; red and green; blue and orange.
Those are the 3 complementary pairs that I keep in mind when I paint.
Charcoal
Charcoal was also used for extra definition and drama.
Once charcoal is on the paper, over the watercolor – thats it.
There is no going back. Its on to stay, pretty much.
Charcoal is fun to use this way, you just need to be aware of its limitations.
Crop
This was originally a full sheet. 22 x 30 inches. I wasn’t happy with those dimensions. It looks much improved as a square.
I think it could be cropped even further.
But, I try to be judicious.
And to remember that Less, is more.
Stop. Fiddling.
Stop
So even though there may still be things amiss, that I dislike….
it might be better to quit while I am ahead.
Taming the Dragon Perfectionism
debi riley 
Beautiful. I wouldn’t know whether to prop it up on my table or hang it on the wall. I like the way the front flowers stand out from the back ones and yet both are an important part of the composition.
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thank you Anneli, its nearly a full sheet so this one is a bit difficult. right now, the poor thing’s been shuffled in my hide away box unframed. I used to…. don’t gasp… tape and blue tac my work to my walls. it was great! but, it did leave a mess. so now I don’t, and all my work just hides away instead. I should rebel. and get my blue tac out Again. we only live once! and these walls, are over due for repainting anyway!! LOL 🙂 cheers, debi
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I’d be tempted to make on big wallpaper tapestry of the paintings so I could look at them all at once and for always.
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Love the composition, Debi!
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thank you Sharon! it does look better cropped to the square… as it was, it was pretty bad imo
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Beautiful. Full stop.
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you are very kind David, thank you
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It’s lovely Debi and I like the square crop – it works really well….
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thanks! the square did rescue this one 🙂
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Perfect – “stop fiddling” – my mantra for the day. Off to Italy this week so will check in whenever I can otherwise see you in November. Have a great month 🙂
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