Inspiration

Here's a photo of Kokee (Ko Kay A)-- It has got to be one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

Just back from Kauai with lots of new photos to paint. Here are some I'm getting to work on:

I've come back from Kauai so inspired, but there are so many obstacles! 

Flower Painting Workshop March 6-8, 2009

For more information on my upcoming classes & workshops, check the classes section of my website. www.KathleenAlexanderWatercolors.com.

Flower painting Workshop March 6-8, 2009

I used a grey mixture made up of cobalt blue, aureolin, and permanent rose to darken certain shadow shapes in the flowers. I used the same grey mixture, Holbeins' shadow green, sap green, cobalt blue, and perylene maroon in the background. The detail on the flower buds was done with a mixture of quinacridone magenta and winsor violet (dioxazine).

Flower painting Workshop March 6-8, 2009

For the yellow centers

1. Start in the center with quinacridone gold.
2. Switch to new gamboge as you move out from the center.
3. Switch to clear water and drag clear water out towards end of petal so you don't get a hard line where the yellow ends.
4. Drop in a small amount of burnt sienna in the very center of flower to make it recede.

Flower painting Workshop March 6-8, 2009

For flowers that are going to be primarily pink:

1. Center of flower: quinacridone gold
   
2. Switch to new gamboge.
3. Clear water.
4. Mixture of quinacridone magenta & dioxazine violet (light on the violet).
5. Drop in a touch of quinacridone gold mixed with dioxazine violet to the very center of the flower to make it recede.

Flower painting Workshop March 6-8, 2009

The first stage of the plumeria painting was to do an underpainting of the shadows in the flowers using dioxazine violet and cobalt blue. I like to use the violet in areas that will be yellows in shadow later in the painting. The cobalt blue is used in the cooler shadows and turning edges of the petals.

Flower Painting Workshop March 6-8, 2009

We had a great flower painting workshop. We began with a tulip painting, and then worked on my own personal favorite, plumeria. The class was held in a new building called Pedro Point Creative. It is actually a meeting/dining room and commercial kitchen facility, but as you can see from the photos it's perfect for a small workshop. There is even a large video monitor I was able to connect to my computer and play DVD's of watercolor exhibitions on all day.