If in doubt, try a crop!

This was painted last month, around Valentine's Day, so of course it had to be called "Roses are Red".  I've been doing more work without drawing recently, it allows me to enjoy placing the brushstrokes without any boundaries.

I started this as a quarter sheet but the left side wasn't working, so it's now cropped to a 9.5" square and I like the modern feel that gives to the painting.

Roses are Red - 9.5" x 9.5", watercolour on paper ©Ruth S Harris

Cathedral Gold WIP

I had this reference, golden lilies in the gardens of Hereford Cathedral, in my "to paint" file for several years, but somehow I always passed it over. I imagine I was avoiding the numerous challenges it offered - the first being yellow! It's so hard to shade yellow without ending up with mud. My pet hate is the recommended complementary colour, violet, which results in a dull grey. I prefer to use colours which are closer to yellow - orange and red.

Stage one, I'm already getting some good form in the flowers using azo yellow, winsor yellow deep and alizarin crimson. The background is started using the yellows and indanthrene blue.


The first lily is pretty much done now, the stamens are painted in a strong red made with WYD and AC.


Starting to add form to the main flower, while also working on the background elements. My second challenge was the foliage, and I chose to keep it fairly loose with quick brushstrokes in AY and adding blue wet in wet.


Taking shape nicely now, most of the background flowers are done.


Now the really strong shadows are added to the main lily, using an orange made with AC and WYD. The last of the foliage is painted in the same way as the rest.


Now to finish the background and another dilemma - do I paint over the fiddly foliage or paint around it? I decided on a combination of both so some would be more defined and others would blend into the rest of the background.


A few finishing touches and it's done!

Bearded Iris - Small Format Macro

Bearded Iris
Watercolour on 140lb Fabriano Artistico, 5" x 5"

Here's my second small format macro floral, a colourful bearded iris up close and personal! The orangey yellows really stand out against the purple, making a small painting with big impact!

There's something about the square format, it forces you to think carefully about composition, using the space efficiently. I'll be doing more!

Spring is coming!

This is a daffodil from last spring, but it won't be long before they flower again - green shoots are appearing all over the garden, even on plants which I was sure were dead after the hard winter we had (the coldest in 30 years!)

Daffodil Macro, 5" x 5"
watercolour on Fabriano Artistico extra white CP

The first in a short series of small format floral macros, painted after I discovered a sheet of paper with a fault. I tore the paper into smaller pieces so I wouldn't waste all of it, and I'm quite enjoying this size and format! Next is a macro view of a bearded iris, then maybe another daffodil!

Bearded Ladies

Sometimes you have an idea and it just doesn't work - that's what happened with the little blue iris painting I was working on, it just hasn't worked out the way I envisioned. Maybe I can rescue it, but it's more likely to end up in my scrap pile.

So I decided to move on to a reference that had been in my "to do" file since last summer, two beautiful purple bearded iris. This was a completely different experience, I had a clear vision and enjoyed every brushstroke!

Bearded Ladies
14" x 10", watercolour on 140lb Fabriano Artistico extra white, cold pressed

Is it an allium?

I have some of these bulbs in my garden and I'm pretty sure that when I bought them they weren't labelled as allium, not sure what they were called though. Anyway, this is the start of a new watercolour based on a photo I took in my friend Janet Thomas' beautiful garden last summer. This is only a small section of the whole composition.


There's a long way to go yet, hopefully I'll get most of the little florets finished tomorrow!

Opium Poppy WIP

I've been working on this watercolour for several days now and still there is no end in sight. So many tiny details, plus the dark areas have needed several washes to achieve the depth I want. Here are the steps so far:

Song of Summer - WIP

It's been a while, the garden has been demanding my attention, which means less time to paint, but the reward is plenty of exciting reference material for future watercolours!

I have found a bit of time though, and wonderful inspiration from a visit to an open garden 2 weeks ago.

I took photos of my progress, so this is a sort of WIP except it has already been finished!

Wishing for Spring

When this challenge was posted on painting friends I had to have a go at painting it! The idea is to choose one of a selection of references and paint it in two hours or less - not easy but fun!

Narcissus
9 x 7 inches, Fabriano Artistico extra white paper

Antidote to winter

On these long, dull, cold winter days I look for something to cheer me up, and that usually means painting a bright flower. This time it's a sunflower, from one of my own reference images.

I started out by sketching the outline then masking a few highlights. Once the masking fluid was completely dry I quickly wet the paper using a large brush - doing it quickly leaves a few dry areas which will stay white when pigment is added.

Here it is after the first pass - Azo yellow and gamboge wet in wet.


Now the individual petals need form, more wet in wet but one at a time, using azo yellow, gamboge and quinacridone coral.


I'm excited about this one, but life always gets in the way so this is all I've managed to do today - very frustrating!

Simply Summer!

This, to me, is what summer is all about - beautiful flowers and blue skies! It's pretty much my favourite painting from last year.

Giant Daisies, 14 x 20 inches.

Summer Sorbets #1

This one didn't work how I wanted it to so it's already being done again!

10x14, watercolours on Fabriano 140lb cold press.

I'm going to try to remember to take progress images while I paint Summer Sorbets 2, watch this space.

Thrill Me, Honey Honey, Thrill Me!

After spending a fantastic day in the garden of a good friend, I looked through my photos and was instantly drawn to one of honeysuckle flowers. I remembered the delicious scent, the bees buzzing around the delicate flowers. I had to paint it!

Thrill Me, Honey Honey! 14 x 10 inches, watercolour
on Fabriano Artistico 140lb.

Lilacs and Pansies

My last two watercolours, both from my own photographs (something I always aim to do - to be original it's important that the whole creative process, from reference to final painting, comes from you. Occasionally I am inspired by a photograph which isn't my own, in those instances I would make sure I had permission from the photographer to use their image before starting to paint. Respecting the copyright of other artists is vital!)

The Sweet Scent of Spring: 10x14, watercolours on Fabriano extra white 140lb paper

Black and Gold: 13x10, watercolours on Fabriano extra white 140lb paper

Both will be available as prints or cards from Redbubble