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.
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.
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
