I’ve been doing a spot of watercolour painting practise in my sketchbook. I chose this lovely orange and yellow dahlia flower because I just love the structure of the petals and the way they form geometric shapes. They are just so beautiful to look at! I admire all the dahlia forms but especially the big firecracker ones that really are a dazzling explosion of colour. I really wanted to convey the light falling on the petals of this flower, so I took my time to try to recreate the shadows forming on the inner petal ball. I also tried to make the centre dark enough so that it would look solid. It was quite tricky and after a while all the petals in the centre started to get rather confusing!
I always think that the centres of flowers are quite secretive and special places, unless you are a bee of course and then they are the equivalent of parcel warehouses to pick up nectar and pollen. Dahlias with open flower shapes are a great flower for pollinators and are visited by bumble bees, honeybees and carder bees among other solitary bees. I think bees would probably find it harder to pollinate the fussier shaped flowers though.
The paper in this sketchbook is okay for watercolour but not brilliant. It tends to bleed and the colours sink into the fabric of the pages, especially if you are trying to do washes and using a lot of water. I think perhaps it’s because there is not enough sizing on the paper. Anyway, it’s ok for practising on. For proper painting, I think choosing the right paper is really important and can make or break the work. I’ve used Daniel Smith Watercolours here which I absolutely love! The colours are just so clean and bright and vegan too which is wonderful to know.
I’ve made this little sketch into a printed velvet cushion with a peachy coloured background. They are available made to order. I hope you like it.
$59.00 Dahlias are gorgeous and this cushion decorated with a single magnificent flower is no exception. Brighten up your garden room, lounge or bedroom with this funky floral delight in tones of orange, sulphur yellow and the palest tones of peach.… read moreSingle Orange Dahlia Velvet Cushion
