VIOLETS
by Penny Nangle

Everybody LOVES Violets!

This is a simple study of how to apply the paint to make violet petals.

First of all......How you load up your brush is Very Important. The term used in this study is Side Loading your brush.
Side Loading your brush means: After you have put your brush in the medium of your choice, you will wipe that medium out of your brush, by putting the pressure on your brush to force it into a fan shape. Roll your finger back and forth over the end of your brush.
Now, you are ready to place half of your fanned out brush on top of your slide of paint. Using a C stroke motion fill the thumb side of your brush.
Slide of Paint: (VERY IMPORTANT) Don't forget to always pull down a slide of paint with your palette knife from your main dab of paint on your palette. When you create a cave, you are not able to get a good side load of paint where you most need it on your brush.

First Fire: Side load your brush into a baby blue color and than into a pansy purple color. The lightest color first, and than the darker color. Variations of colors can be used. Like Pansy purple and Ruby purple, and Medium rose and Ruby. All are good combinations.
Making the Ears: Lay your brush down flat and pull down at an angle towards the center from both sides. Looks like a V. (See Study)
Chin: Turn your piece upside down, and pull your side loaded brush up towards the center making half moon shape between the bottom of the two ears. Turn your piece right side up now, and finish the bottom of the chin by pulling a bit of paint out to the bottom edge of chin to fill in the area.
Arms: Side load, and put your brush down flat, and pull towards the center between the ear, and the chin on one side, and than the other. Try to keep your arms from looking like they have a cast on both of them ---/---, try painting a few like this / \ some times too....
Center: Wipe out a ^ in the center with your wipeout tool. The peak of the triangle is always at the top between the ears. Place some yellow in the center and a dot of pompadour at the peak of the triangle. Now wipe out a ^ little line on each side of your yellow triangle. You are now ready to fire that violet.

Making Three violets together:

You now have made one violet. In behind each of the ear tips of your first violet place a triangle. This will help you know where to place your other two violets behind. Repeat the first steps, and don't paint in a chin. Just use filtering strokes of ruby purple to fill in that space in between. Use a wipe out tool to wipe out the violet edges clean. Soften with a clean brush.
Buds: Practice side loading your brush with two colors, like baby blue and pansy purple, and pulling your brush stroke flat towards a center point. (See study) Make a stem line for yourself to paint towards. Let the thumb side of the edge of your brush move towards that center point. It takes a little practice, but before long you'll say,* I've got it...!!
Tip: Put the violet study into a plastic sheet, and practice placing your brush over the petals and pulling your brush in the same direction as is on your study. It will help you to get the feel of the strokes.
Pink Violets:

I used Medium rose, and ruby colors. Same application

Colors for the leaves:

Chartreuse, and Moss green side loaded on your brush. Shape to the center vein, and than shade from the vein line out toward the edge. Shade your tip.
Wipe out your highlights with a brush or a wipe out tool. Smooth out all wipe out tool marks made.

Now you too will love to paint violets.. Enjoy!

Penny Nangle
P.O. Box 24121
Indpls., IN 46224

Chinakidl@aol.com


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