Elizabeth Reoch

October 23, 2013
by Elizabeth
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Violets Watercolor Painting

There are two different types of violets in this Violet watercolor painting. You can tell the difference between the two species by their leaves. The Bird-Foot Violet has sharply pointed leaves and the Early Blue Violet leaves are varied in shapes with rounded unbroken edges. The flowers on both plants share the characteristic blue tinted petals with an orange center. Violets commonly grow in dry ground that either boarders swamps or thin woodlands.

The purpose of a flower guide painting is to help gardeners and flower enthusiasts identify different specie of flowers. In this botanical floral composition the focus is most of all on the flower’s individual aspects. The flower’s details need to be prominent in a flower guide painting.

Painting Tutorial

The sketch depicts the details and the different characteristics in the leaves with the flowers arching towards the center. This draws the eye inwards creating a focal point.

I layered shades of paint on a wet surface when painting the violets. I then painted with a dry brush to add detail and give depth to the flowers. A light neutral wash of brown and blue paint was carefully swept in the background with a large brush keeping the focus on the flowers.

July 29, 2013
by Elizabeth
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Sand Art

Discovering a Sand Artist creating unique Sand Art

I happened upon Sand art on Port Sydney beach in Maskoka Ontario. The surrealistic sculpture grabbed the attention of all the visitors to this small lakeside beach. First it looked like two friends playing in the sand but then we realized she was building a sand sculpture. The sculpture was going to be destroyed by the tide. The artist had no plans to take pictures or to use this sculpture for casting or any other long term project. It was up to those of us with cameras to capture this sand art. I chose to capture the creative process rather then the finished project. I found art while observing her sculpting skills and the moment of questioning whether it was an actual person in the sand rather then a sand sculpture.

June 23, 2013
by Elizabeth
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Painting Birch Trees

Painting Birch Trees in Watercolor

When painting birch trees in watercolor I used very little paint on the birch trees themselves. Most of the painting was done in the background creating the shape of the trees. This techniques brings the trees forward which gives the feeling that they are popping out of the image.

Painting Tutorial Part One

To create white areas in a watercolor painting you paint around an object that you want to leave white. You can also use this technique to create a white boarder around your painting. The paper under the tape is protected from being stained by the paint.

Once you have taped down your watercolor paper to a flat surface draw a rough sketch of the birch trees. Have a variety of tree sizes creating negative space around the birch trees in the background. Erase the trees outlines leaving the pencil drawn details that will be used to help give character to your painting.

First apply a blue wash where the sky peaks through the foliage. After letting the sky dry began to paint the rest of the background in the negative space between the trees. Paint a wash of water over each section this wash keeps all the watercolor paint within it’s section. Keeping the paint from bleeding into the areas that you want to stay white.

Painting Detail

Use different shades of paint in a wet on wet watercolor painting technique creating shadows and definition in the foliage. Use a thin brush adding small details such as stray branches and twigs with the dry-brush watercolor painting technique. The depth and character of the painting is created with the addition of these small details.

In the foreground a wash of light paint is first applied before defining the details. Darker and lighter shades of diluted green paint then can create shadows in the grass. Finally use a thin paint brush to depict tall grass and small bushes with quick vertical brush strokes.

Paint the bark on the birch trees with a long thin paint brush. Loosely squiggle the brush alone the pencil sketch lines painting a variety of curved, jagged and smooth lines. To give individual character to each birch tree. The small birch trees will have more white areas with only small patches of black tree trunk. The large Older birch trees will have less white bark areas and more rough bark showing. Wash water over the detailed brushwork on the small areas of the larger and older birch trees to show weathered texture. This will lend authenticity to your painting.