Saturday 17 November 2012

Jean's Rosehips...... or are they????

Jean did a article for the SAA recently, painting rosehips shining in the light SAA article.

I decided to have a go using the techniques I have both seen at Jeans' demos and workshops and read about from her books, but once I had done the first wash I put the article away and carried on working on it over the last couple of weeks finishing it today. This is the first time I have referred to the article since starting and guess what? It looks nothing like!!! But that isn't a bad thing in fact it is an excellent thing!!!

One thing that Jean has taught me is to build up a painting... we watercolourists are always afraid of overworking but it is surprising just how much a painting can be toyed with without overworking if you do it in the right way... you can keep the colours fresh, vibrant without losing translucency, it's all about technique, and most certainly letting the paper dry between applications is absolutely key.

If you check the article you will see what I mean about being nothing like but I do want to paint like me not anyone else so this is my version inspired by Jean's and I am really happy it doesn't look like the inspiration. Have use a lot of artistic licence as I didn't have any reference, no real life rosehips or photo but again am not worried about that... it is all about practising the techniques and learning to build something up. Can see that I have a couple of dark bits here which are lying too parallel so will look at that in the morning and may just blend the other dark areas a touch more as they are looking like hints of blackberries though maybe they could be entwined around the rosehips...  nature is a wonderful thing and painting is there for us to interpret as we want!!

Hope you like this... am seeing the potential in it myself and have given myself lots to work on for future efforts..... yet again this has a painting on the back so hope I can do something similar but on virgin paper!!!

24 comments:

  1. Hello Judith:) I think you did a wonderful job here! I love the colors and the fact it is you own style. Very nice:)

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  2. Ah thanks Renate.... delighted you like!!

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  3. Das Bild ist dir bezaubernd gelungen. Gratulation;-)

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  4. When I want to feel free AT MOST I paint on the white side of a job that I did not like!
    I like to study the techniques ... then do it my way.
    Dear Judith, reading your posts , I see that you have a tendency to think this way  and I really love it and your watercolor- way- of- life!Brava!

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    1. Would you then sell something with another piece on the back Rita? Have had this discussion on my blog before and the opinion seemed to be two for the price of one but a beginning to think maybe not.... I sold a painting at one of the workshops I did ad the lady wanted to buy the demo piece but it had something on the back an she didn't want it... fortunately I found another one which didn't and she was quite happy with that.

      Thank you for the lovely comments on my blog Rita, always a pleasure to hear from you.

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    2. mary crowley artist18 November 2012 at 04:32

      Hi Judith,

      Love your rosehips. Nothing wrong with painting on both sides of the paper Arches is so expensive I nearly always do! Can be a pain if both sides turn out equally nice!!!!

      If the people who purchased my pictures ever reframe them there is every chance they would find another picture on the back ;)
      Recently I sold a painting of Newburg Castle, about a month later the lady contacted me to see would I sign the back too as she liked the seascape she had found whilst reframimg!
      Kind of a two for one deal for her.
      Mary

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    3. Paper is expensive Mary which is why I have painted on both sides in the past but I have heard about clients getting upset to find there has been another painting on the back of the one they have purchased and the lady who bought my demo piece wasn't prepared to buy it when she realised there was a painting on the back... tricky!!! I do like to think of it as two for the price of one but have to admit I do only paint on the back of howlers, anything half decent doesn't get painted on so some unsuspecting client wouldn't really be getting another masterpiece from me!!

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  5. I like this very much Judith - nice depth and love those 2 rosehips to the right, really pleased for you that this has gone so well - you are on a roll lately!

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    1. On a roll 'til the next one Sharon!!! You know how it is..... but must admit more are turning out now than before so am delighted with that, the workshops are helping as I have to practice lots for those and it certainly makes me think more about what I'm doing.

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    1. Thank you Jane, now need to see if I can do it again on a fresh piece of paper!! Think I will use this as a reference rather than going back to Jean's study, then it may move even further away from the original inspiration.

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  7. Hello Judith, I love this post. Georgeous colors!! When you tell about Jean, you mean Jean Haines?.I love the jean Haines works. Your style really seems so magnific as her. Felicitations , good job. Warm regards

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    1. Yes it is Jean Haines Eva, I have been lucky enough to watch her demonstrate 3 times and have also attended one of her workshops... thanks for the lovely comment!!!

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  8. Excellent - lovely colours, and definitely YOU!

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    1. Phew... glad you think so Dawn, it is so hard wondering where inspiration ends and your own creativity begins but the more I get the techniques going the more I will be able to use them in my own work.

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  9. A nice piece Judith, I would not be in favour of selling a piece with a howler on the back as I would be embarrassed for anyone to see it if they dismantled the good one for re framing etc. I am buying my paper in bigger lots and getting some good discount so I never feel guilty about only using one side. I also like the positive energy in starting with the though this will please me so best use a good bit of paper

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    1. I think I have still far too many disasters Lorraine to always use a new piece of paper and I also do a lot of practising for my workshops so yes if I decide to do a full painting I will use a fresh piece but this started as a practice following Jean's step by step which in the end I didn't follow and it turned out better than I expected.. always the case eh?

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  10. Absolutelu gorgeous Judith!! Love the warmth of the colours and the excellent contrast of the darkest areas.
    Hugs and Smiles.

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    1. Thanks Tina, I like it too and will be having another go but have some practice to do on xmas cards as that will be the next workshop with my group...

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  11. Hi Judith! Missed this post I guess...I love this piece! Great excitement and lovely dark values.

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    1. I did go back and alter the position of some of the darks Sherry, was looking a bit too uniform but better now... thanks for stopping by!!

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  12. I like that you added some darks. That is very important to have an imbalance of dark against light. It makes the light colors stand out more.

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    1. I agree Jean and though I love colour I find a few well placed darks make all the difference to a well balanced painting. Jean Haines is a master of colour and also placing light and dark within a composition to create the right tension and movement in a piece.. lots to learn!!

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