This month I want to focus on a few Spring favorites. I love seeing the fiery colored dianthus as it pops through the low intensity soil and the dry remnants of last autumn’s leaves.
I also love Spring Asparagus—to admire its delicate color and form, and also to eat!
In each of these subjects I want to emphasize the intensity contrast of pure color against low intensity. Using contrasting media in these paintings, both dry and wet, will hopefully enhance the beauty of each subject.

MEDIA OPTIONS INCLUDE watercolor paint, watercolor pencil, and graphite pencils including H or HB and 2-4H.
ASPARAGUS
WATERCOLOR PAINT:Aureolin, Quinacridone Gold, Winsor Blue Green Shade, Sap Green, Cobalt Violet
WATERCOLOR PENCIL*: Cream, Light Yellow Glaze, Light Green, Permanent Green Olive, Olive Green Yellow, Raw Umber, Middle Purple Pink, Red Violet, Light Cobalt Turquoise
DIANTHUS
WATERCOLOR PAINT: Quinacridone Red, Quinacridone Pink, Cobalt Violet, Alizarin Crimson, Sepia, Burnt Sienna, ***NOTE: I forgot Aureolin in the swatch, but I used it.
WATERCOLOR PENCIL*: Pale Geranium Lake, Prismacolor watercolor pencil Carmine, Derwent watercolor pencil Madder Carmine, (possibly?)Crimson, Light Purple Pink, Middle Purple Pink, Raw Umber, Burnt Ochre, Inktense Dark Chocolate
*All watercolor pencils are Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils unless indicated.

Asparagus spears initial steps from top to bottom. The bottom spear just needs finishing details and “crisping”.

Our drawing and first layer of the background immediately after class
A charming photo by Chase D’animulls is so cheerful I can’t wait to paint it with everyone! This bluebird pair is ready to nest, making their home in a rustic wooden bird house.
As with May’s paintings, this will rely on the contrast of the beautiful bright blue of the bird against the weathered wood.
MEDIA WATERCOLOR PAINTS: Cobalt, Light Red, Aureolin, Sap, Winsor Blue Green Shade, Winsor Blue Red Shade, Sepia, Scarlet Lake, Quinacridone Gold, Burnt Sienna
WATERCOLOR PENCILS: Cold Gray IV, Warm Gray I, Sky, Burnt Ochre, Cobalt Blue Greenish, Helioblue Reddish, Sky, Inktense Sea, Inktense Bright Blue, Inktense Sienna Gold, Terra Cotta,
Earth Green Yellow, Derwent Watercolor Pencil Chocolate
ADDITIONAL MEDIA INFORMATION
Below I have listed my basic watercolor paint palette and my most used watercolor pencils. There is absolutely no need to have so many paints or watercolor pencils. I’m just including this list because someone was interested in purchasing a few watercolor pencils at a time and wanted some suggestions of ones I tend to use. If you’ve taken several classes you will probably recognize some of these are ones I use more than others.

Some Favorite Watercolor Paints
Aureolin, New Gamboge, Quinacridone Gold (or Raw Sienna, which is less bright), Burnt Sienna, Sepia, Light Red, Sap Green, Phthalo Green, Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine, Winsor Blue Green Shade, Winsor Blue Green Shade, Cobalt Violet, Indigo, Alizarin Crimson, Quinacridone Pink, Quinacridone Red, and Scarlet Lake
These aren’t necessary but sometimes are nice: Scarlet Pyrol (M. Graham brand), Azo Orange (M. Graham brand)
Some Favorite Watercolor Pencils
*Note: all are Albrecht Durer by Faber-Castell unless indicated
Cream, Light Yellow Glaze, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Scarlet, Pale Geranium Lake, Light Purple Pink (or Fuchsia), Venetian Red, Derwent watercolor pencil Madder Carmine, Inktense Poppy, Middle Purple Pink, Red Violet, Purple Violet, Light Ultramarine, Light Cobalt Turquoise, Ultramarine, Dark Indigo, Helioblue Reddish, Inktense Sea Blue, Inktense Bright Blue, Dark Phthalo Green, Earth Green Yellow, Permanent Green Olive, Olive Green Yellow, Chrome Oxide Green, Inktense Apple, Raw Umber, Burnt Ochre, Inktense Baked Earth, Inktense Bark and/or Inktense Dark Chocolate.
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