Watercolor: Florals & Botanicals

Zooming in on Your Subject

with Caroline Linscott

A COMPELLING PAINTING doesn’t have to include many elements. Sometimes highlighting a single subject, like the close-up of a sunflower here, can create a dynamic composition and convey a mood. The various shapes, textures, and values of the flower’s petals, seeds, and leaves provide plenty of visual interest!

Creating Harmony with Color

The colors used in this painting are analogous (see page 18). But the similarity of the colors doesn’t produce a flat, uninteresting scene. Instead it creates a sense of unity and harmony that is difficult to achieve with high-contrast subjects. This painting illustrates how to vary the values within a group of cool colors to evoke a sense of stillness and quietude. ...