Rose painting Tutorial in Watercolour- Diary of a Rose

Rose in Watercolour- a study in accuracy and expression.

I don't really like rather dead lifeless mechanical-looking flower studies, so I always introduce the serendipity and chanciness of watercolour paints to create life and movement.  I cannot see the point of using paint if it just looks like a photograph. I have a photo, I have a memory  I want a painting! 

Flowers are full of energy, they contain life itself. I have chosen to paint 1/2 a rose to create a tension and to abstract it from the normal expectation of a rose study.

1.
Masking fluid is spattered on all over and used to carefully mask out the areas of white within the flower. It' s really important not to just blob it on, be really accurate.I used a masking fluid brush. Originally my paper is larger but as the composition develops I guillotine it down.
The paper remains white  under the fluid until I remove it and tone it down.
I am using Winsor and Newton colours . Quinacridone Red is a superb vivid  pink red, Permanent Rose, Sap greens, Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium yellow.
Paper is Saunders Waterford High White in NOT

2. Developing the patterns and striations within using simple admixtures of Quinacridone Red and Permanent Rose.

3. A Cadmium yellow is flooded through the background to create a warmth and glow.

 4.

 5. Some foliate shapes are added, I found these in other photos I had  taken.

 6. Masking fluid has been removed - lots of speckles are evident. I hate the background and it's going to get chopped off. You will notice this throws the rose into the forefront.

 7. I'm thinking of adding some water droplets but not to the flower which is pretty abstract  details

 8. Water droplets are painted on the leaf. Various pink washes are added and some Violet and Alizarin Crimson.

9. Finished.Notice some areas of the background move in and out of focus. It's not hyper realist. Thorns are painted in the same pink and there are many subtle washes so that the flower colours are   in the background as repeated local colour. Spattering and splashes are allowed! I use a tissue to remove blotches, though.