Globes of Onions Ornamental

Globes of Onions Ornamental

an Allium Ornamental Onion mix in the Amaryllidaceae Family, which includes the Amaryllis, at the Maine Coast Botanical Gardens, Boothbay Harbor, Maine painted plein air on June 8, 2024, 14" x 11" (w x h), Daniel Smith, Schmincke Horadam, and Winsor & Newton watercolors, selected for light fastness and permanence, and Uniball waterproof fade proof ink on 140 lbs. Fabriano Artistico cold press rough 100% cotton extra white watercolor paper, framed.
$600

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Painting Progression Sequence

1
My plein air setup in the sun, but we're surrounded by scattered showers. I'm ready with my flat watercolor brushes, today using 1/2", 1" and 2" flats. Using all flats is not the norm for watercolor painters, but I get the point. Do you?

2
I usually use permanent ink, not erasable pencil, to lightly and loosely sketch my drawing. I make a bold statement. There's no niggling, pencil, erase, pencil, erase pencil.

3
Painting, light to dark colors, I paint a layer of yellow using my two-inch flat brush, which, when dry, will underlay my painting various blues over them, creating, also various, greens.

4
Oh, oh, slight rain shower... good time for a break. My huge Blunt umbrella from New Zealand more than adequately protects my painting and setup. 

5
Cobalt green (almost a turquoise) painted over dry yellow, produces warm greens, leaving bits of yellow, especially along the flowers' edges, to provide some pop.

6
Some darker Prussian Blue brings on a deeper cool green and some very dark Payne's Gray Bluish (only Schmincke Horadam, all other brands not quite the same) adds deep green shadows, while some Cobalt Violet Deep, which is a light purple, begins the purpling of the globes, and the deeper Quinacridone purple adds the beginning of the deeper purple shadows. Some light touches of yellow, blue, and Davey's Gray add texture to the white globes.
 

7
Do I feel a raindrop? Nope. Phew. I continue brushing lines of flower stems with clear water and lifting using Viva Signature paper towels (no texture for even lifting) to bring out the flower stems, the yellow/green stems appearing against the darker background. Painting some blues at the stem edges add a sharp edge to that gradual lifting.

8
With brush in hand I listen to my inner voice, warning me not to overwork the painting, saying, "Stop!" Fortunately, I listen. Time to photograph the final image at high resolution for posting this painting on my website: www.theartofbruce.blogspot.com.