This week i just wanted to paint flowers, Magnolia flowers. It’s a very fascinating tree for me, as it blooms so beautifully right after winter. It’s almost magical !
My reference picture isn’t from this year. As you probably guessed, magnolias aren’t yet in bloom here in Stockholm. So i’ve searched for a reference in my image library and found this one from Uppsala botanic garden where i went last year. I don’t have sketches to show you, i didn’t draw one for this painting. And i didn’t managed to find my previous tries from last hier in my archives…
The painting of magnolia i show you today is the first one i’ve achieved with a nice result. It was a bit of a challenge to hit the record button without knowing if i’ll be able to make something nice out of this subject. But i think it was worth it ! The hardest part in this painting is to associate blues, pinks and whites without making them bland and too simple. Here is a little tip : it’s better to avoid mixing violet (for darker shade of pinks) with cerulean blue and rose madder lake. This mix makes a beautiful violet, but it’s a bit flat and not strong enough for this particular subject. So i prefer to mixed my violet with pink and Lunar blue. It brings more depth to my colors and makes beautiful mixes. It’s a lot darker than cerulean blue but it has a strong power of granulation, even stronger than cerulean blue.
Watercolor of Magnolia in video
Supplies :
Brushes : Escoda Aquario nº18, Rosemary & Co serie 39 1/2″.
Paper : Canson Héritage rough.
Colors : Cerulean blue (Daniel Smith), Quinacridone gold (Daniel Smith), Rose madder lake (Sennelier), Lunar blue (Daniel Smith).
And here you have the finished painting (click to enlarge) :
