My Self-Invented Method
Peruvian Liy :: Original Watercolor by Kaveri
In the beginning, I set out to invent my personal style of painting with watercolors, to create my signature version of color, light and shadow.
I endeavored to learn how to paint smooth-as-silk gradients, from highlights to shadows, and on the rounded surfaces of fruit.​​​​
I assigned myself a study where I painted egg-like shapes to learn how to achieve smooth transitions on curved surfaces and shadows.
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I discovered that the colored pigment had to be laid down in several thin layers, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. This way, I built up the color slowly.​
Samples from my 80 Eggs study
After painting about 80 eggs I started getting the hang of the pigment-to-water ratio it and several more months to perfect it.
The results of my efforts are the smooth, luminous, jewel-tone colors.​​​​​​​​​​​
In my paintings, there are upwards of 10 to 12 layers of the pigment/water mixture in the darker sections. This is how I created the most saturated jewel colors imaginable.
​​​​The larger, more detailed pieces took 35 to 45 hours from conception to completion, including the examples below of my painting, Carmen's Passion.
I took artistic license to stylize and brighten the colors on the background fabric in the completed painting.
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And, the yellow plumeria, red and green coffee berries, papaya and (passion fruit), lilikoi, were harvested from my yard in Kainaliu!
Still-life setup
Completed painting
