Working Artist 4/6
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Simply spring, flowers sing.

If you love spring flowers, these painting tutorials might get you started with trying some of your own.



A magnolia white bloom and green leaves
Magnolia pen & ink, and watercolor by Annie Mason

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1. Simple Flowers

Materials: (links are my favorites)









Simple flowers. It doesn't have to be that hard. MY MOST POPULAR Idea Pin on Pinterest:

click here ⬇️



This IDEA PIN currently has 1,011 Saves, has 13,678 clicks, and has 525, 620 Impressions

What does that tell you? It tells me that people like easy, and "I can do this" art.


Simple Flowers samples



2. Zinnia

Work in simple shapes. Find a real zinnia or a zinnia photo (check copyright) and have it handy to use while you are painting. This flower has a big circle, a stem, and big leaves. Remember, it doesn't need to be "perfect." Have fun.





Zinnia flower by Annie Mason Winsor & Newton travel kit


3. Poppies



It is more detailed than the zinnia, but in this case, I start with a light pencil drawing and then trace over the lines with a black ink pen. You must let the ink fully dry before starting the watercolor paint. Add the bright reds and greens, and it's like adult coloring books.






Bright red poppies flowers green leaves
Poppies by Annie Mason. Pen, ink, and watercolor

4. Stencil flowers

You can always use stencil shapes for flowers. I used a template of petal shapes in this video.


Supplies: Pencil, Watercolor paints, brush, stencils.




Stencil flowers (0:24 sec)




Why...it's a butterfly. Stencil watercolor by Annie Mason Pen and ink, watercolor.



5. Go Abstract


A flower is a flower. The shapes change, colors change. Parts stay the same.

“Nature is a teacher whose wisdom we can learn, without which any human life is vain and incomplete." ~ William Wordsworth

Once you recognize this...pick up your paintbrush, sing, and dance:





6. Translucent Flowers

This last sample lets you see how wonderful watercolor's translucent quality can be. It will take a little more practice, and the most important factor is to let the watercolor DRY COMPLETELY before adding another layer. The result is a visual delight.


Waiting between layers is the key. (0:36 sec)










Experiment...have fun.

transluscent flowers by Annie Mason






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Skillshare has great teachers and watercolor classes to follow. Join here:






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Meet the Artist - Shelley Wallace Ylst



Meet the Artist. The place where I introduce YOU to an artist through a virtual interview. Our featured artist is Shelley Wallace Ylst.



 


Images and Text contain links



 

Shelley Wallace Ylst

South Jordon, Utah



  • Who are you and what is your background?


My name is Shelley Ylst and I live in South Jordan, Utah. I have a husband, two grown children, and of course the smartest and cutest grandchildren in the world! I started painting with watercolor in high school and studied art in college. I love the spontaneity and transparency of watercolors. My art is always evolving and full of joy.





My mom was always my biggest fan (of course), and years ago she was a realtor and commissioned me to make a calendar of vintage houses to give to her clients. Together we would drive through areas in Salt Lake City that had amazing vintage houses to take reference photos, and that is how I came to love painting house portraits. The main part of my art business is now commissioned paintings of people’s homes.









My other favorite subjects are flowers and animals and I often combine them together. Growing up I always had cats and dogs and love their sweetness and companionship. Since I live in Utah flowers are seasonal, but I fill my areas with them in the spring and summer and it brings me great joy.







  • What is your favorite medium?

I love watercolors and sometimes I add in ink and colored pencils. Over the years I have tried other mediums but always gravitate back to watercolors. I like the transparency and flow of them and how you can build layers and float colors together.








  • What has been your favorite response to your work?


I love bright colors and flowers and nothing gives me more joy than when someone tells me my art gives them good feelings and makes them happy. My grandchildren make requests of things they want me to paint for them all the time. When we were all quarantined last year we started an art club where each grandchild would specify what they wanted me to paint, then I would mail it to them with a request of what I wanted them to paint for me, then they would mail their creations to me. It was so much fun and such a great way to navigate through a difficult time.











  • What is the strongest memory of your childhood?

I grew up in the 1960s when we all had a very carefree childhood. There were so many kids in our neighborhood and we could roam our streets and play together outside until our mothers called us home. I was the youngest and only daughter and when I look back I lived a charmed and wonderful life and we always had many cats and dogs that I dearly loved.


  • Professionally what is your goal?

I don’t really have a certain goal in mind, I recently had a health scare and am semi-retired so I have more time for my art. I am very happy to just keep creating (I have so many ideas in my head!) and hopefully make people smile. I enjoy doing commissioned work and selling through my Print=on-Demand sites. And I always want to improve and explore new techniques.


  • What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

When I was in college I worked for a local school district doing illustrations for anything they needed. After I married, my husband and I have been entrepreneurs and owned many businesses in many different areas and I have always done the artwork and graphics for all these businesses. I have owned a lighting store, a hair salon, and a company that sold hair extensions. I was a realtor for a year and didn’t like that job at all. And I have always gravitated back to art!



 


Thank you SO MUCH, Shelley. My readers are grateful that you took time out of your busy schedule to share your art, your talent, and the amazing array of bright, colorful designs and paintings that you create. We can see why your grandkids request more art!


Readers, be sure to follow:


Shelley's website: Shelley Wallace Ylst


Society6: Shelley Ylst Art


Redbubble: ShelleyYlstArt


Instagram: @shelley_ylst_art






 

Visit all the MEET THE ARTIST posts.


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That blank canvas doesn't scare me.



Well, maybe. Just a tad.


I haven't done acrylic painting in a very long time. It'll come back to me, right?


Our new house has a lovely fireplace mantel longing for a canvas painting. Here I am, four months into living in our new home. It's time to give that space a painting.


Here we go:



Supplies:














 









 




 









 














 















 



Now, the hard part: what to paint. It's in my head. It's one of our favorite vacation spots: Sedona Arizona


I do work from photographs (as many artists do). Our daughter took the photo on a trip out west. Jeep tours are a great way to get up close and personal, gaining a lot of information if you get a good guide. Here's one: Pink Tours from among many others. Or check these from a list: The 6 Best Sedona Jeep Tours




You can see the sky area (although it is subtle because I chose not to bring the dark blue completely to the edge of the mountainous horizon line.


Work in Progess

⬇️ Work in Progress



I added cacti to the left foreground; now to fill the empty space.




That space could be problematic. Put something too detailed, and it would take away from the detailed cactus. I decided to keep this area nice and straightforward with the desert sand and earth-toned colors.


This set is FABULOUS! Strongly pigmented colors are perfect for this painting!




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Am I finished?


It is a never-ending challenge for the artist. It's "quite" done. Sometimes, it's a good idea to walk away from a task. I don't consider painting a task because I love it. But like other decisions, it's a good idea to take time and ponder for a moment. "Sleep on it," my grandma used to say.




SEDONA. Vortex and meditation. Oum. Break time.









 

One day later: 🕰


After careful thought, I decided not to make any significant changes. My style is loose. The image lends itself to a quick, rough pattern with the brush (and a bit of pen and ink), an homage to the grand desert landscape with its rocks, prickly pears, and dramatic sky. So what you see in these close-up pictures is a bit more detail and the use of darks and lights to emphasize the textures.


Now, clean up the sides of the canvas. Since I will not be framing it for placement on the mantel, I painted entirely around the sides. Acrylics dry quickly, but even if it is dry to the touch, it is a good idea to wait about a week before applying a varnish coat to the artwork. For a technical description of the drying process, check Golden Paints Drying





 

Blank wall waiting for a not-so-blank canvas.


Another few days to dry completely 🕰

Ta Da!







 

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Looks like that blank canvas wasn't so scary after all. Sometimes, you have to DO IT!


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