SUNFLOWER BRIGHT & Visual Texture

SUNFLOWER BRIGHT

Watercolor - 11x14

Purchase Info

I wanted to create some texture for the base painting of my sunflowers so I first wet 140 lb watercolor paper and loosely applied color in a random manner. I knew I wanted to paint sunflowers but I didn't draw them in first, choosing to keep the composition free and spontaneous.

While the paint was still wet I lay down plastic wrap and left it to dry.

When everything was dry I removed the plastic to uncover a wonderful pattern of texture. Because watercolor is a transparent medium - unlike acrylics and oils - you cannot create real tactile texture with thick paint but need to rely on creating visual texture.

I then began to create the shapes of three sunflowers using negative painting to define the centers, petals, stems and leaves. Beginning a painting in this manner lets the color flow through the entire composition, creating wonderful visual unity.