Karen Richardson Watercolour Studio
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"Your work continues to surprise and delight me!" ~Maggie R.
"I have done a lot of traveling. Some of your paintings bring back memories..."
~Mallie W.
ARTIST'S COMMENT:
"Most of my paintings are created using only three to five tubes of paint - incorporating the primary colours of red, blue and yellow. I choose different sets of primaries for each painting, based on how well they mix together to create the actual scene colours I am trying to achieve.
Having a limited palette of colours gives unity to a painting, since all the colours appear in varying strengths in all areas of the composition.
This discipline of using primary pigments to mix all the colours required for a painting constantly reinforces colour theory, and this is the method I demonstrate in my watercolour classes. My students learn so much about colour when they practice mixing secondary colours (purples, oranges and greens) and neutral colours (grays, browns and black) from the primaries.
The principle of using complementary colours (red/green, blue/orange and yellow/purple) to darken or dull a given colour is employed over and over in my paintings and in my classes, so students gain the ability to formulate any colour they might see in nature.
Occasionally I teach a class in architectural perspective, which deals with very simple principles of logic and geometry. I show my students how to correct for the distortion that occurs in reference photos of buildings.
My students learn the skills that allow them to create believable structures in their own compositions."
~Karen Richardson
Watercolour
1-2-3
This sequence of photos shows
the typical steps that I go through
to create an architectural painting.
1. From various photos taken on site and using rules of perspective, a pencil sketch of the scene is created on graph paper. Photos were taken in spring and summer and the final painting will depict the summer scene.
2. After final client approval and adjustments to the pencil sketch, the pencil lines are redrawn in black ink on the graph paper.
3. The sketch is transferred in pencil onto 300-lb.acid-free watercolour paper in the finished size. Colour tests are done to determine which watercolour pigments will be used in the painting. Three blues, one yellow and one red are chosen for this piece.
Masking tape and masking fluid are applied to waterproof the building outline and various fine details in the landscape, such as tree trunks and flowers. Later on the masking will be removed, revealing the clean, white paper underneath.
4. The sky is painted with several blue hues onto wet paper and left to dry. This process is performed twice to achieve the necessary depth of colour.
Then the first layer in the background trees is begun on dry paper, using various greens mixed from the yellow and several blues.
5. Background trees are gradually darkened and detailed with two more layers of paint. The distant barn wall and shadow are added.
All masking is removed to reveal the white paper beneath. Very fine lines of masking fluid are applied to all the window frames and balcony railings, to save them as white areas while the house is being painted.
6. Using only blue, red and yellow pigments to create warm and cool colour mixtures, the base washes are applied to the building walls, creating the illusion of direct sunlight, reflected light and cast shadows.
The terrace area is wet with clean water and diluted primary colours are dropped in, allowed to mingle and dry.
7. More layers of paint are added to the building walls and chimneys to define various architectural details.
Darker mixtures are painted into the window interiors. Some show the reflected blue of the sky and others hint at furnishings inside the rooms.
Shadows are added to the pillars, stairs and retaining walls on the left.
8. Details are created in the shadowed balconies. Roof tiles are painted with a fine rigger brush. The pool water is painted turquoise with vertical strokes that simulate reflections.
To finish the painting 'That Summer Glow', 29 x 11", masking is removed, terrace details are added and a very dark mixture is used to depict the railings and eaves troughs.
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