No. 25, 30 Day Challenge, Portugal Laurel Berries

Not long to go now!! not sure how I'm going to finish this challenge because I'm travelling to Amsterdam on Tuesday....but I'm sure I'll find something on route and when I get there!

Today I chose the very pretty Portugal Laurel, Prunus lusitanica, such a lovely variation in colour in these berries so I couldn't resist! Started it this morning but had other things to do so finished tonight. These days I find natural light so much better to work in than artificial light....but no choice and the nights are drawing in fast now too, so it's back to the lamp!

Portugal Laurel, from Longton Park, Sept 2013 

Detail

Colours:  For the red berries: Quinacridone Red and Permanent Carmine.
For the green/ yellow berries/ Red. First a wash of Green Gold, followed by a blended wash of Aureolin and Manganese Blue Hue mixed to make green and blended into a mix of Quinacridone Red.
Once the basic washes were down I started to add dry brush on the reds a mix of Permanent carmine and Indanthene Blue. In the areas where the red was warmer I used Perylene Maroon. To brighten areas I added a light wash of the Quin red and Aureolin.
Stem. The same green mix was used as for the berries. Permanet Carmine was added to the red stem areas and the small details. For the remaining old filaments and anthers I used Burnt Sienna and Sepia.    

No. 21, 30 day Challenge, Whitebeam Berries, unfinished

An unexpected event yesterday resulted in a couple of trips to the hospital! so I'm a bit behind with everything today.
I collected this little piece of Whitebeam with unripe berries outside a nursing home in Stalybridge, Gt Manchester on Sunday morning. These berries turn bright red but I quite like them at this stage.

Unfortunately I completely ran out of time to paint it today and I'm too tired now .....so here it is unfinished..... That's just how it goes sometimes.

At one time Whitebeam was an important timber in Britain, being a fairly hard wood it was used to make parts in machinery before being replaced by iron. It later became a much planted roadside tree. It's a lovely tree with a distinctive light downy underside on the unusual coloured leaves.    


Colours: Berries, Gold Ochre and Green Gold graded wash depending on the level of green or yellow in each berry. Highlights were left clear. I applied 3 washes. Then some detail using Raw Umber and Burnt Umber. I added a little Sap Green on the darker greens Would have continued to build up a bit more form using some dry brush but no time to do so.
Leaf ,  Burnt Sienna and Gold Ochre for the initial wash, several washes were requires with some Green Gold added. I used Cerulean Blue on the highlights and Ultraviolet and Indanthrene blue on the shadows. I used the the Ultraviolet to the Burnt Sienna for the recesses at the veins. Needs more tone but again no time.
Stem:  Incorporated many of the same colours, first green gold and Burnt Umber, Followed by a wash of Burnt sienna in the richer coloured stems and shade the same as the leaf.