Tulips were the first flowers i try to paint in watercolor 4 years ago ! And i haven’t try again to paint them since then ! So this week, i’ve focused all my work around tulips.
I don’t have really a reference picture this time. The first image is the one that has triggered my inspiration but also each bouquet of tulips i’ve seen this past few days at the florist, the market or even the supermarket. The second picture is the first painting i’ve done of tulips 4 years ago ! And honestly, it’s not as bad as i remembered ! But it’s still a very stiff watercolor painting with no unity between elements.
As i explained it in the video, i’e had quite a long process for this painting. I’ve started from a picture and paint just what i saw (third painting above). This study isn’t bad and maybe even quite good for some parts of it. I love how the stem is merging with the petals for example. But i wanted to go a little further in my idea and paint something different. So i changed totally the composition of my painting and also the dynamique and you can see the result in the last picture above !
But i went i little bit more further in my idea for the painting i’ve recorded. I’ve keep the composition like my last study. But instead using realistic colors that i was able to see in my reference image, i try to use more colorful and dynamique colors. Of course they aren’t realistic, but they are more adequate to my mood. And i love so much the phtalo turquoise !
Colorful tulips in watercolor
Supplies :
Brushes : Raphaël le “803” nº2, Silver Brush Black velvet 1/4″ in a dagger shape.
Paper : Canson Héritage rough.
Colors : Indanthrene blue (Sennelier), Phtalo turquoise (Daniel Smith), Quinachridone gold (Daniel Smith), Winsor red (Winsor & Newton), Rose madder lake (Sennelier).
And here you have the finished painting (click to enlarge) :
