Lily of the Valley, watercolour, 15x11in (38x28cm)
Flowers come in all shapes and sizes and for the passionate artist there is much to love and observe. But what happens when the flower you wish to paint is white? I know this can be a stumbling block for many artists, as on my watercolour courses I am often asked how I paint white subjects.
I find myself mesmerised by white flowers and I love painting them. As a gardener, I know adding white plants to a perennial border adds a sense of light, just as it does in a painting when an artist leaves white paper. A blank piece of watercolour paper is often white or cream. We cover it with colour to create our chosen subjects. When painting a white subject, however, I find it far easier to forget the subject altogether and place my focus on painting the background instead. I will show you how in the following demonstrations.