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p-e-a-k — Hibiscus
Published: 2008-05-01 03:34:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 1828; Favourites: 20; Downloads: 29
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Description
fooling around with "jungle colours"Watercolour on Saunders Waterford 300 g rough
56 cm x 76 cm/ 22" x 30"
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Comments: 42
And definitely this one. Actually, I'm just working on my Hibiscus Waltz right now. ^_^
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So gorgeous!!!! I have a couple of Hibiscus paintings as well. I love painting big open blooms. You really did a great job!!!
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I have some of these in my backyard and they look exactly like this!
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Always love your flower paintings. These are especially lovely! Do you use masking for the stamens and to reserve whites, or do you add the whites afterwards with gouage? Just wondering...
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Hi Karin, thanks for compliment and 
As for your question: I don't think I've ever used white gouache in my watercolours - I don't like it, because, to me at least, it never looks as nice and clean as the white of the paper.
On the whole I think it's better not to use white gouache... just in case you ever want to enter your painting into a juried show; it will not be accepted as "watercolour" but will go under the heading of "mixed media" instead.
On the other hand, there's a very famous local watercolourist here who always uses white gouache for highlights, and he sells his paintings for lots of lolly......
For the hibiscus I used masking fluid for the little dots of yellow pollen. That's all. The other whites - on the petals and leaves as well as for the stamen - were lifted out while still wet. I think this way you get a much more natural look than you would with those very harsh and obvious lines of mask.
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Hi Pat!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge so gernerously, as usual. I agree, that white gouage is not as nice as the white of the paper, and I think with flowers it's usually difficult to get by without masking out the small details in the stamens.
I find some flower a bit of a challenge, because there are so many different ways of getting those special effects. I appreciate you sharing some of your techniques. It always fascinates me to know how something was painted.
Looking forward to your next one.
Hugs,
Karin
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Delighted you like it, dear Alberto - thanks a million for adding it to your favs! 
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Thanks!
Btw: I remember you were looking for irises not long ago. Are you by any chance watching ? Have a look at her latest [link]
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Wow! Thanks for showing me that Pat - amazing!!!!
It's exactly the kind of thing I want to be doing....Need to get more loose and fluid and use those wonderful colours! I've added janie to my watchlist...like that comes as a surprise 
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Yep, thought that might interest you! 
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Yep! And they're all called Vanda!
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Very nice! You do great flowers. I love the texturing you get on the pedals.
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And you are so nice! 
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You are the bomb! Your work only improves with time.Keep it up. Could you do yellow flowers next time?
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Thanks for your sweet comment and for adding Hibiscus to your collection!
Yellow flowers... hmm.... I'm afraid I don't have anything yellow in the works, but the next one, a kind of heliconia, will have quite a bit of yellow in it.
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gorgeous!
ever drink hibiscus juice?
i always wonder where the juice comes from - soaking the flowers in water? the roots? or what?
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Glad you like it, Val - thanks for the
Hibiscus juice? No, didn't even know something like that existed!
Have you tried it? How is it??
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yeah, i have in the past. i just remember it being red. but it may have been mixed with other juices. don't really remember the flavor, though
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well..... then it can't have been a very distinct flavour - otherwise you'd probably remember
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i googled hibiscus juice, and found all sorts of recipes, often mixed with ginger, but couldn't find any descriptions of the flavor. funny
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Oh, don't worry; if one day I should come across hibiscus juice I'll be sure to test (and taste) it!!
btw: Very nice spring time photos you've been putting up lately! 
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lol... i am in love with these days of fluctuating temps - even the cold, windy, wet ones, because i know that soon enough we will have one hot, dry day after another
oh, and thanks
did you see my frankfurt by air pics?
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Sure, I saw them! The one with the fields was especially nice! Sorry, intended to compliment you but cook announced lunch was served...
Anyway, I just can't believe how sharp they look considering you took them through the glass of an airplane window!
But I hope you're not asking me what's what in the shot of Frankfurt city.... because I couldn't tell you! Last time I was in Frankfurt (and I'm not talking airport) must be over 30 years ago.
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30 years ago? wow... and i thought you were a frankfurter!
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No, I'm not! And I'm not a Hamburger, either!
Frankfurt is only the closest international airport - about an hours' drive from my mum's.
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well, i knew you were from a smaller town nearby, but i guess i'd assumed it was a satellite of frankfurt
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No, definitely not a satellite!
Actually, my hometown (Worms - yeah, another funny one, I know!) isn't even in the same state as Frankfurt! Frankfurt is in the state of Hesse, Worms is in Rhineland-Palatinate - on the other (west) side of the Rhine, towards France.
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ach so
so... you come from worms?
that's funny, you seemed so human
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I just KNEW you'd go for that one!
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Fooling around? I think this is your best flower you've done so far
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Have a lovely time at the wedding, congrats to the happy couple, and say HI! from KK and myself to Mac and wife.
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