Thursday 22 January 2009

FIRST YUPO FLOWER

Yesterday I played with YUPO again and after an effort with a rather merky pond scene I decided to see what I could make of this technique with my old favourite - FLOWERS.

I started by laying on creamy colours from my White Knights pan paints starting with their vermillian hue, Titian, green light, cadmium yellow covering the whole square I had taped down on my work board. Then I rolled my little sponge over it from top to bottom before it was dry and where necessary spraying with a small water bottle, blending the colours next to each other to create a soft mottled background for the flower shapes.
I waited a little while to ensure the line was sharp before using the vermilion a little thicker to paint the bud and petal shapes freehand, leaving areas of the original background showing through. I then cleaned off some off that within those shapes to create the lights. Added stalks and leaves in the same way blending with a number of greens and yellows, also lifting off here and there. Finally added the dark reds and stamens and touches of olive green.
Must confess after leaving it all to dry, I did titivate a little in the background by spraying with water and softening with a tissue. There are signs of the pattern on the edge of the tissue printed onto the background (see bottom right corner). Plan to develop this idea more in another flower painting.
I have always wanted to achieve some of my floral paintings to look more wet on wet, and I think with YUPO I have found a way. I am certainly going to develop it.
When I removed the tape there was a clean white border which I feel enhances the colours.

10 comments:

Anita said...

I clicked on the image to see it big and its wonderful! Super palette! You seem to have a real knack for this Yupo stuff. Seems to take a lot of work!

Sandy Maudlin said...

Hi Joan,
I agree with Anita that you REALLY have a talent for YUPO. The cool thing is that when painting on YUPO, it's like playing the whole time, especially since it can all be wiped clean - I call it 'no fear' watercolor.

Your flower and the background are beautifully done - almost a grid like look in the background. Love it! You're developing your own unique way of handling the paint on the slick surface. Keep going.

Anonymous said...

That's really lovely - the colours are amazing.

RH Carpenter said...

Beautiful job, Joan. Lovely colors and design - you are learning so much so quickly!

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Thanks for quick responses - could hardly believe there were 4 so soon after posting. I must say I was quite delighted myself but I bet I cant repeat it easily!!! but its so free and such fun. Why dont you all have a go - in UK you can order YUPO sheets from Jackson Supplies of London.

Anita Davies said...

Ahhh, flowers...Nice work Joannie!

Margaret Ann said...

I like this too...a wonderfully loose and lovely background...vibrant flowers! :)

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

You've caught me out Anita - back to my old faithful - flowers. .. but its been fun, much like using my old style ink acrylics.
Margaret - Ive created another one this time magnolias. Will post soon, when you'll see I cant do two things in the same style for love or money!!.

"JeanneG" said...

I love the colors in this one.

Milé Murtanovski said...

Joan,

Yupo certainly seems to lend itself quite well to floral work (especially if the artist isn't caught up in rendering every last grain of pollen).

Your piece here is nice and harmonious with the background (the drawing of the leaves on the flower in the middle is my favourite part).

You can achieve a wet-on-wet look by laying down some colour and then painting in (or dropping on) another colour while it's still wet. I take many pauses with Yupo (as I do with regular paper) to let certain portions dry before continuing.

Cheers!
Milé