Hi it's Anna Mason and in this watercolour tip video I wanted so show you my method for
getting a really smooth looking sphere. Specifically, I'll show you how I painted this
pea so that it had a really smooth transition between its darkest tones, or values, and
its lightest highlights within it. It's all about working in layers so that
you can gradually create the subtle shifts in tone.
I worked from a photo which meant the lighting of the pea stayed static - making it easier
to observe and paint. I made a pencil outline of the edge of the
pea and then I lay down my very first watery, pale wash where I try to match to the lightest
tones in the highlights on the pea. But because it's only darker green that I'll be painting
on the pea, this pale green can sit underneath that without messing up the colour. So I opted
to paint this pale mix all over the pea. As I do this I apply in the direction of form
of the sphere - as if I were painting on it's surface. This way if I get overlaps with my
paint they are going to help to create its form. Once that's dry I go straight in with the
very darkest tones on the pea - the shadow in the top left.
And as I apply it I use the tip of my brush to feather the edge where I'm going to need to transition
smoothly into a lighter colour. Now the lightest and darkest ends of the peas
tonal range are established, it makes it easier to work on the midtones. I begin with the
darker midtones that connect up to the darkest tones. I work over and into the darkest tones
I'd just painted, which are dry on the paper now so they don't bleed too much.
It can be hard to judge how dark to take this mix as I move further out from the darkest
tones so I adjust it to lighten it a little. It's always better to go a little too light
when working on midtones because we can always darken with another layer later.
Again I feather the edge of this colour where it's going to need to transition again into
a lighter shade. Then I create a lighter and more vibrant mix
to work on the mid-midtones that connect up to the darker midtones which are now dry.
Again I paint over them a little to help smooth the transition. And then I work around the
rest of the pea- applying this mix to any areas this tone or darker - therefore leaving
gaps where the pea is lighter and feathering the edge of those lighter shapes as I work
around them. Notice how I'm not worried at this stage about smoothing the unwanted
hard line edges that have appeared as I've painted.
That's because I can see that the area needs to be taken a little darker anyway so, once it's
dried off I apply another layer of this midtone mix to slightly darken and smooth the transition
again - getting rid of the hard line edges in the process.
I then use a smaller brush which only has a little water on it, to move the paint that's already
on the paper and smooth the transitions around the highlights - and also adjust their position
so that it matched the reference photo. The position of the highlight is so important
to create the 3D shape of the sphere. Because the way we perceive tones is relative
to the tones around them, once I've darkened the highlights, I can now be clearer that
I need to darken my darkest tones some more. I then go through the same process again with
the darker midtones and lighter midtones - using a smaller brush this time for some more control
and so that I deposit less paint on the paper and am therefore less prone to get unwanted
hard line edges. Working gradually in layers like this also allows us to correct our colour
mixes as we go. And because the way we perceive colour - or hue - is also relative to the
hues that we see around it, this is really useful when you're trying to achieve realism and
accuracy. Once I'd darkened the pod around the peas
I did a final very subtle darkening of the highlights using just water on the brush again.
Now the pea looks really spherical and like it's popping off the page.
This method keeps you firmly in control - able to position the shifts in tone precisely - in
a way that's really hard to do with a wet in wet approach.
I hope you'll get your sketchbook out and give it a go!
A full step by step tutorial of this pea pod is available now in my online School.
If you've enjoyed this tip video, please subscribe to my Youtube channel and I'd
love it if you'd share this video with your friends.
And if you'd like to take one of my tried and tested step-by step tutorials for free,
hop on over to AnnaMasonArt.com where you'll find even more resources to help you pick
up your brush and paint the way you've always wanted to.
Remember, you won't improve your painting unless you make the time to paint. So be sure
to schedule in some me-time this week and paint something you love.
Thanks so much for watching and I'll see you soon with another tip for creating watercolours
with wow!