Painting a Sunflower in Watercolor
I thought I might start sharing some of the process of how I paint in watercolor.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiZjymNF87fgsC1CR5bbRQ2AZemkXqZhMW-M8J5Gfn0M9b0sYOGMiRNfyhQ_dAOBiFp7IoAnQpqQE0RFqCfHuK0eOUDpV0nBXtwlO9zCLeudKIy_H2BlEWiXGPxNGN5WFCL7gJHiX7u3A/s320/IMG_5557_edited-2.jpg)
I start with a light drawing in pencil. I have drawn this a little darker then I usually would because I want it to show up in the photo. I sometimes do a dark line drawing like this to use for my hand embossed aceo prints.I prefer to draw directly on the watercolor paper.
I am using 140 lb cold pressed watercolor paper. I start with some base color washes. I am using lemon yellow here.
With a large brush I do some lose washes in the background and then add some yellow ochre in areas of the sunflowers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DYMz4O6a6HBRlbdg2U9eLPbQLKOLDiGXcFW6WOnvuT2UQakpGNKg1Iedn0K5c6_AAyNiUU2RPNAY6DQDZVd0iox-tyujC3kQ7f_5ObDNPLWxB9INTbbvVIZX7dqeRd5fyM9W8ejYmCxp/s320/IMG_5636.jpg)
I keep darkening areas of the painting. I am adding some burnt sienna here.
I like the way the sunflowers look here and I could stop paintings right now but I think I want a little more moodyness in this painting.How can I have Weeping Sunflowers if there isn't a mood?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiZjymNF87fgsC1CR5bbRQ2AZemkXqZhMW-M8J5Gfn0M9b0sYOGMiRNfyhQ_dAOBiFp7IoAnQpqQE0RFqCfHuK0eOUDpV0nBXtwlO9zCLeudKIy_H2BlEWiXGPxNGN5WFCL7gJHiX7u3A/s320/IMG_5557_edited-2.jpg)
I start with a light drawing in pencil. I have drawn this a little darker then I usually would because I want it to show up in the photo. I sometimes do a dark line drawing like this to use for my hand embossed aceo prints.I prefer to draw directly on the watercolor paper.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiQhy0Bc7WIEJqWXd7NxzMvcHaiLQhXNsV6_jUPgNO8hK9uJWWHesYq3MoQpc7fXmqvL1Hw2Vu9kviltBSMNrVNYwYT0oLiFGcYDM89MUHKm0Z6ESp0xaBJ06wHj9cM-WcwCOxh1VQx7M/s320/IMG_5627.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1pPnCGTuZQ0-E5BHa4xT8NDdZrgQ_F9xbBoMbz85VwZKeX9_dzGYS4qeLvch5BjiBAZ_bl1T8sypA0Wr8-vFKsaEMIx5C3d8btBrRW_k7lXKj-NFyTgBkBate74EtGl7MsteMA9ZPkam/s320/IMG_5633.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DYMz4O6a6HBRlbdg2U9eLPbQLKOLDiGXcFW6WOnvuT2UQakpGNKg1Iedn0K5c6_AAyNiUU2RPNAY6DQDZVd0iox-tyujC3kQ7f_5ObDNPLWxB9INTbbvVIZX7dqeRd5fyM9W8ejYmCxp/s320/IMG_5636.jpg)
I keep darkening areas of the painting. I am adding some burnt sienna here.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbjAmjD7aZmbChKRoP6zAR7peesPdiEN_B9bLAa-0-EcjdSGNjhSy4x4zBcicllirLasRWXeaP5eRQ7-gKO7tC7AOrYiALM2sN_8vk5iQSGeCNjt9y6s2jZPcfpEi2uv6pAndwykhWASR/s320/IMG_5637.jpg)
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