This is a photograph of “Minerva Amaryllis”, one of our blossoming beauties that I will be painting in watercolor. Its petals range in color from salmon to pink with white tiger stripes extending out from the center. Peter grows this one, and many others in our kitchen window. When they quickly spring up with their bright blossoms it can literally take your breath away. Amaryllis always cheer up the house in the winter.
Step-By-Step
First, I sketch the shapes using a 2H pencil, drawing very lightly so lines are erasable later. Then, I wet the first petal area being very careful to reserve (keep dry) the area in the middle. This dry area is where the white stripes will be. Proceeding on, I combine colors “wet-on-wet” in this pre-wetted area. Starting with a mixture of orange and gamboge yellow, then apply drops of quinacridone magenta and alizarin crimson for the darkest edges.
It is fascinating how the watercolors do almost all the work by themselves. They combine in expressive gradations until they make edges that are sharp right where the wetness stops. This picture shows how very brightly the colors look when wet, but, remember that they will fade as they dry.
You can see how much the colors fade when dry when you compare the first image with this one.
The approach for the second, third (behind), and fourth petals are pretty much the same except for how the lighting and shadows change as they stack on top of each other.
Where a petal would cast a shadow on the petal underneath or behind it I add a touch more of the alizarin to darken it.
Next, look at the beginning of where the light and shadow occur on the flower surfaces. The stem below the blossom is heavily darkened.
Following this, apply a light wash in the background petals that is more muted in value to exaggerate distance.
With a light wash showing the sky background and greenery texture from below to eye level, we can begin painting the details.