Lemon painted

Those wash studies I did a few days ago have really helped me control the paint and I felt this was a step forward in terms of simplicity. I misjudged the tones on the right-hand side, but that was a flaw in observation rather than technique.

Lemon

Colour wash practice 2: wet in wet

I liked this wet in wet approach, and it even worked on this print paper. It gave a smooth, soft transition. Again, controlling the amount of water on the brush is crucial. It’s surprising how little you need after the first wash.

Colour swatches

Grapefruit painted

This wasn’t a great success. I tried to go back and darken the shadows and only ended up messing the paint. It’s my first try using watercolour paper and it’s a bit different to print paper. In print paper the colour gets absorbed and doesn’t come away when you go over it again. In watercolour paper the paint wipes off if it’s still wet. I need to learn more about applying washes, especially to show difference in tone.

Grapefruit