Page 67 - The Decorative Painter Summer 2014

the edges of the rocks, touching it into the color so that it bleeds out, creating the vignette look. If the water does not move to your liking, use the spray bottle to mist. Let this dry before removing the waxed paper.
STEP 4: Remove the waxed paper and review the fin- ished rock.
BLOSSOMS
STEP 1: With the no. 000 script, apply a coat of Win- sor Yellow to the already yellow blossoms, and allow to dry. Using a toothpick, place dots of masking fluid in the blossoms’ centers, extending nearly halfway up the petals. Allow to dry.
STEP 2: When the masking fluid is dry, wet the blos- soms’ centers with water on the no. 000 script, extend- ing approximately halfway up the petals. With the same brush, shade the centers with Quinacridone Gold and then with Permanent Rose losing the edge at the top of shading. STEP 3: Using the no. 000 script, shade the petals with Permanent Rose. When the desired shading is achieved, remove the masking fluid by rubbing it off with a finger, picking it up with rubber cement, or pulling it up with masking tape. Paint the small leaves around the flowers with Winsor Yellow, and then with Antwerp Blue with the no. 000 script. This will result in a light yellow-green.
CACTI
As with the rocks, paint the cacti one at a time, moving around the piece so that adjacent cacti are not wet at the same time.
STEP 1: Using the no. 2 script, wet the large, round sec- tions of the cacti. With the same brush, basecoat with Quinacridone Gold.
STEP 2: Using the no. 2 script with Antwerp Blue, add color through the cacti leaves, allowing the colors to blend on the paper as shown on the Step-by-Step on page 63. Permanent Rose or Ultramarine can be dropped in to tint the wet petals.
STEP 3: Using the no. 000 script, add the cacti’s spines. These can be Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Quinacridone Burnt Orange+Ultramarine, or a variety of colors. Don’t forget to include the small dab of the same color at the base of each spine.
FINISHING
Stand back and evaluate the painting. Are the contrasts strong enough? Is it necessary to glaze over the leaves to add interest? When you are satisfied with your work, don’t forget to sign it.
WATERCOLOR
artist’s sketch
After taking her first painting class in 1972, Fran Mittelstet was hooked on decorative painting. Soon she be- gan teaching classes and attending seminars. In the early ’90s she fell in love with watercolor, and she has been working almost exclusively in that medium since. Fran enjoys teaching for clubs and at conventions around the country. She belongs to Middle Tennessee Decorative Artists and Rocky Top Decorative Painters. Fran lives in the Nashville area with her husband, and their dog and cats. Visit her website at www.watercolorwithfran.com. You can contact her at fran@watercolorwithfran.com or (615) 391-2224.