Lavender View

Walking along the roadside in Norfolk this wonderful carpet of lavender with pale pink thistles in the foreground provided inspiration for a painting with a horizontal feel.
Using both wet on wet and wet on dry techniques Julie will demonstrate her approach to this scene.

You will need

Watercolours:
Transparent Yellow
Raw Sienna
Burnt Sienna
Winsor blue ( green shade ) or Phthalo blue
Ultramarine blue
Permanent rose

Brushes:
Size 4,6,8 round

Watercolour paper:
size 28 x 38 cms 140lb NOT (a slight texture)
Masking fluid and fine feather, bamboo or fine old brush
a strip of plastic cut from an old store or bank card.

Reference Photograph

Follow the step by step demonstration video

Step1 Sketch scene our lightly and apply masking fluid on the thistle heads and stems.

Step 2 Background

Wet sky and apply paint wet on wet using Ultramarine blue followed by Winsor blue (green shade)
Paint the base of the stone work of the house using Burnt sienna mixed with Raw sienna, followed by the roof in a grey shade (Ultramarine plus Burnt sienna)
Apply the line of golden grasses in the middle ground wet on dry with Raw Sienna and Transparent yellow.
Add the distance hedge, wet on dry, while the grasses are still slightly damp. Vary the shade of green from yellow- green to a blue -green (using Ultramarine blue and Transparent yellow)
Drag paint downwards with plastic card to suggest a grassy edge.
Paint distant trees wet on dry with varied shades of green.

Step 3 Foreground

Wet the entire area and drop in soft washes of Permanent rose with a tiny touch of Ultramarine, plus a bolder combination of these two colours for the lavender.
Add the greens whilst still damp and introduce some purple into it.
Suggest stems and foliage.
When dry strengthen thistle stems.
Remove masking and add soft pink in thistle heads

Step 4

Add definition to the house and balance the overall tones with stronger detailing here and there.

Watch video

Student Gallery

Here's some work completed by Julie's students based on this tutorial. 

Send your work to Julie

Have you completed this tutorial? Send Julie a photo or scan of your work and Julie will give her feedback.
Student Submissions
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