If you have already tried my 'Globe Artichoke' tutorial (right) why not have a try of its sister painting?!
In this tutorial you will level up your skills whilst building upon those already gained. But don't worry ~ if you've not already tried the globe version you can still start with this flowering artichoke (below) as I will show you how to apply and mix colours inside each of the individual bracts (using the same techniques as we did before).
If you enjoy visiting gardens as much as I seem to do, you may well spot a few artichokes ripening as we head out of summer and into autumn. The original image used for this painting was taken at Chartwell (former home to Sir Winston Churchill). This beautiful Kent house and garden is now looked after by the National Trust. Chartwell just happens to be my nearest National Trust (despite me living next door in Surrey) and is perhaps why a number of my watercolour tutorials have been based on photographs taken there! If you haven't had the chance to visit Chartwell, it's well worth a trip, as there is always something interesting to spy no matter the season. You can also take a look at Churchill's paintings and visit his beautiful studio which lies within the grounds.
You will probably notice that the flowering artichoke is quite different in shape and hue to the original globe version, as it produces an amazing crown of purple and lilac flowers as it opens and ripens. The main body of the artichoke also turns deeper and richer in colour as the individual bracts darken and ripen producing beautiful purple and pink hues.
To begin this painting we will add a base colour to the flowering section before reserving some of the pale flowering stems using masking fluid. I will then show you how to select and mix your colours for the bracts (leaves), thinking about a range of hues and values. We will work one bract at a time (as before) and look closely at how the combinations and colour bias changes from one bract to another.
Once the bracts are complete I will show you how to use a Liner Writer brush to add the mass of purple flowers in the crown, looking closely at the direction of your brush strokes and your use of colour as we build up multiple layers.
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To complete the painting you will drop in shadows where required to create a sense of form, .
To find out more about this project, take a look at this short video.
There's lots of basic techniques in this tutorial and it's well worth a try even if you're a beginner! Don't forget ~ if you're not feeling confident you can always start with the 'Globe Artichoke' which has fewer steps!
Happy Painting!
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