Demo:Watercolour Techniques for Still Life with Maxine Marsh

Maxine working on her still life.

The dried flowers in her jug formed her starting point

Monday, 21st February 2022

Working from a still life, Maxine demonstrated a variety of watercolour techniques including washes, lifting out, masking and using salt and spatter to add texture.

She began with just a few pencilled shapes. She then wet the paper ready to receive a series of freely applied washes in different colours. She allowed the colours to flow and pool, sometimes using a fan brush to feather the edges.

She then changed to a finer brush and began working into the shapes using bolder strokes in stronger colour.

Finally, she dried the surface and picked out details using fine ink pens.

She stressed that while it was important to do some planning before starting, the still life in front of her was not an object to be copied, rather it was a starting point; she let the paint flow and took advantage of the opportunities that presented.

Maxine’s painting at the end of her demo.

Still a little work to be done.

At the end of her demo, Maxine’s painting was a wonderfully delicate example of watercolour painting. It was a fascinating and very enjoyable session.

Her workshop is on Saturday, 26th March. She will be taking the garden tools and vegetables from the allotment as her still life starting point, guiding you through a variety of techniques to add depth and individuality to your work.

Why not join us and enrol on the workshop - Allotment Joy with Maxine Marsh.