Joe Pie Weed Watercolor

Start with these reference images:

Starting at the top of the page using blue hues, continue down the page introducing greens in the foliage areas. Watching your value study to see where your lightest lights are, make the horizon line a light yellow. Indicate the pond with a cerulean blue and the foreground area with yellow ochre and burnt sienna. Show your flower shapes with a light pink hue. Add green in the foreground at the bottom of the page. Let dry.

Using mid-tone values, start to show tree shapes using your value study. At the back of the pond indicate a darker color and soften the edge as you come forward. The edge in front of the pond should be rough to indicate the foliage is in front of the pond. Drop in burnt sienna to show a value change in the foreground area. Using these same values negatively paint out the shapes of the flowers. While this pigment is still wet, use a credit card to scrape out some grasses. Paint negatively the grasses on the bottom of the page.

Using dark values - alizarin crimson and thalo green are a nice combination - put in your dark shapes. Change the color by using a little burnt sienna with ultramarine blue. Build up the flowers by showing a value change, from your light side to mid-tone to a shadow side with a darker value. Using a dark green hue show leaves on the stems. Indicate some grasses with a rigger brush.