HORADAM® AQUARELL - Rose in pearlmetallic colours with Alona Hryn: Schmincke Künstlerfarben

Working on a painting already starts earlier than the real painting process, especially when painting flowers. As they wilt quickly, it can be useful to collect appropriate photos. Sometimes snapshots are sufficient, sometimes you already choose the right perspective and the composition when taking photos. Even flicking through photos can be inspiring for starting to paint.

You will need:

Genuine rose or a good photo/ picture as a pattern
Pencil - 0.5 HB
Schmincke HORADAM^® watercolours in pans or tubes:
Titanium opaque white (101), Purple Magenta (367), Yellow green (536), Phthalo green (513), Sepia brown (663)
Schmincke HORADAM^® Gold-Pearlmetallic watercolours: Light gold, Red gold*
Schmincke HORADAM^® Pearlmetallic watercolours: Pearl red, Pearl green*
Watercolour paper: e.g. Hahnemühle or Fabriano Artistico (extra white), satin, 300 g/m²
Watercolour brushes (synthetic): e.g. daVinci or Escoda Perla (size 4 and 6)
Palet, water, cleenex

* These colours are available only in special boxes: The goldpearlmetallic colours come in a 6-colour-set (74777), the pearlmetallic colours in the 12-colour-set (74776); all 18 pearlmetallic colours are also available in the set 74778.

Preparation:

First, you choose the paper and the size/ format. For this rose I've chosen a bigger sheet of paper to underline the airiness. As paper surface, I always choose satined paper as rose petals are even and smooth. Rough paper could never show this smoothness.

Step 1 - pre-sketch with a pencil

I always make a very detailed pre-sketch with all shadows and small details, so that the painting process will be easier and not interrupted.

Step 2 - choosing colours

Now, I choose the colours and the brushes. I mix several colours to create perfect mixed tones. The best ones, I paint on an additional sheet of paper with the appropriate mixing info.

Step 3 - The first colour layer

The first layer is the most important layer as it determines the painting concerning light parts, shadows, etc. Every single rose petal will be painted separately with its individual colour mixture. First, the petal will be wetted with the biggest brush. Then, the colours will be applied carefully. You always start with the lightest tones, then you take the darker ones. While the first petal dries, the next petals will be painted step by step. After drying, the remaining parts as stigma, stamen, styleand stipe will follow.

TIPP: For Pearlmetallic colours it is important to know that glitter particles come upwards with each wetting of the colours. So, there is a risk of washing off the glitter or of spreading it everywhere in the painting. It will not be directly visible, but into the sunlight it becomes eye-catching.

Step 4 - The second layer

Now, you should throw a critical look on the painting and decide whether the colours fit or whether they could be ameliorated.The parts which must be overworked must be wetted with the brush before reworking. If you have any doubt, take a black and white photo to get an impression of the proportions. Even when you overpaint small parts of the petals, you should wet the whole petal! Thus, you can add last colour layers to all parts of the flower.

Step 5 - details

The last step - now, you add last details with a small, nearly dry brush, as e.g. shadows, points or freckles. It is not necessary to be a botanical expert for flower details; it is even more important to paint what you see: colours, forms and shadows. And, important, you must know when to stop and to sign your painting.