Using several shades of blue,
paint in random strokes in three
different areas of the
plate.Concentrate the darkest
color in the center of each of the
areas and add lighter colors to the
outside edges.Make sure to leave
some white space between the
strokes...(see the bottom of the
illustration on the right)...
....As you flesh out the three
areas, make one of them the
MAIN grouping or center of
interest...It should be the largest
of the three groupings and , as we
begin to work on the actual
flowers, it will have the most vivid
color and the most detail.The two
other areas should be smaller than
the main grouping....

Extend the colors at the edge of each grouping into a pleasing curved shape....Then blend the color softly using either your brush and the feathering technique or pounce gently with a cosmetic sponge or a piece of silk wrapped around a cotton ball..(the brush method is prefered, but hard to master...the sponge technique will take off more paint so you may have to apply the initial paint heavier...it also leaves a slight texture)...(see the top of picture one to see what the blended areas should look like.....)

As you soften the outside of the three groupings , make the edges irregular, suggesting interesting , shadowy shapes. (see picture 2 ) Leave the center of the plate unpainted. (We'll add some yellow for sunshine there later but it's too tricky to mix yellow into blue wet...so we'll leave this for the next fire.

The next step is to begin wiping the flowers out of the wet paint. You will use a berry brush or a cat's tongue synthetic brush ( or a pointed "round" ), Dip it in your brush cleaner (alcohol works well for this also since there is less danger of runs) and blot VERY WELL on a paper towel . Then wipeout the individual flowers. Steps 1 thru 3 show a basic flower shape....but dont make them all the same shape....do variations on the shapes and variations on the number of petals ....The petals are rounded at the edges and somewhat pointed where they join the center.

Just as we have chosen one grouping of the three to be the main grouping, chose one flower in each of the three groupings to be the main flower....This flower (on the next fire) will be the lightest one and will have the most detail....It should be a complete flower with all five petals showing.... The other flowers will surround this one....The easiest way to not lose sight of this flower right now is to wipe it our completely and then paint in the center with some yellow and a small dot of yellow brown or red....Then wipe out the surrounding flowers , leaving some space between the flowers for atmosphere but not too much...(see the illustrations on the right for proper spacing.

When you have the main grouping wiped out, proceed to the two secondary groupings and do the same thing....main flower and secondary flowers.....At this point, all of the groupings will look pretty much the same...The wipeouts will all be pretty stark white...That will change on the next fire....Paint in the centers of the flowers with variations of yellow and yellow brown with a little dot of yellow brown, brown or red in each one. Check the back of the piece and wipe off any possible stray paint..and with a piece of tissue wrapped around your finger, run it along the edge of the piece to make a clean edge... FIRE to cone 015.

Go to Forget-Me-Nots Second Fire


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