French Lilac

after drawing gum removed

 As I manned the Tri-County Art League booth at Arts in the Park in Raymore this morning, I applied Pebeo drawing gum to three different paintings.  I used the plastic palette knives again, visiting and explaining the technique as people came to see what I was up to.  I have always preferred to paint from life - or at least have some kind of photo reference, but with these watercolors, I am just pulling this stuff out of my head.  Memory serves me well on all things floral - as I am an avid gardener with a lifetime of "hands on" experience in my own yard.  There is a long row of these        

French Lilac
Watercolor on paper, 10.5x7

beautiful french lilacs on the road leading to town.  Each year, they burst forth with their truly unique red-pink-purple blooms.  On this painting, I intended to leave more of the whites - to add sparkle, but I found that I just filled more in with color than I meant to.  I have a short, stubby bristle brush that is basically unusable for any paint application - and this was the perfect tool to rub out petal with a little water on the brush, and a paper towel to blot up the color.  Those are the almost ghost like petals.  You must be careful with this - lest you damage the paper by scrubbing too aggressively.  I wanted this painting to have a softer, more atmospheric quality - despite the bold use of color.  I told my daughter that I think I went overboard on this one - and she disagrees!  Oh well, another to look upon tomorrow with fresh eyes - and perhaps it will grow on me.  Painting number 537 in 537 days.