Orchid

Many moons ago now, I bought an orchid for a botanical drawing workshop.  Two personal disasters soon followed: the orchid lost most of its flowers 2 days before the workshop, and I only managed to attend one of the two days scheduled for the workshop.  I was disappointed in both.   I was so inspired by the orchid flower, but I wasn't sure at all how to express the delicacy of the flower!  As well, add in all the difficulties involved in painting a white flower in watercolour and you may well appreciate my problem!

Anyway, I was scrolling through Pinterest recently and came across some flower portraits that just called to me.  The style had so much energy to it and yet wasn't overly busy or complex looking!  I just had to try it out for myself!

There was one remaining flower on my sad little orchid plant, so I took a few minutes and sketched it out on watercolour paper.  I did some quick painting of the details, using some violet, blue-red, and cobalt.  Then I mixed a much paler version of these colours, applied a wet wash to the background along the edges of the top of the flower.  I added some darker elements immediately against the petals.  

Voila!  It isn't perfect, but I am in love with the technique!  The colour palette stays simple throughout, the delicacy of the petals is still clearly stated, and the background is definitely interesting without commanding all the attention.  I am definitely trying this technique out again!