SUNFLOWER INK AND WASH

 LAST POST I SHOWED HOW TO MAKE A LOOSE WASH. I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO DO SUNFLOWERS, AND MY FRIEND GAVE ME SOME LOVELY SUNFLOWER PHOTOS FROM HER GARDEN FOR REFERENCES.

First, I made some drawings of potential subjects on tracing paper. This way I could hold it over my painting and see which ones fit the painting best. Since it is transparent, I could also flip the image over if I wanted to.

Second, I positioned the drawings where I wanted them and drew them onto the painting.I've used two examples, since I did two washes. 

I'm going to use the second drawing for this demo. 

After drawing, I did some more negative painting to bring out some of the details, not all.

Then I added some color (especially greens) where it needed it. I'm going to put a bumble bee in on the top flower also, so I lightly painted that in. 

I could have just done negative painting and stopped. I really like the lost petals. But since it is an ink demo, guess I'll press on.So I added inks to the petals, bee,and center of flowers. I lifted out some messy spots and darkened others. I thought there was too much unbroken dark on the left, so I lifted out a stem and petal.I also darkened some of the greens in the bottom right sunflower. 

My husband liked it, but the first thing he said was, "Flowers? Again?" I think he wants me to get busy on his dad's portrait. Lazy me.