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Expressive Flowers in Watercolor

Posted on Posted in Flowers & Plants, Processing IdeasTagged 4 Comments on Expressive Flowers in Watercolor

This week, I share how I found the expressive idea for this floral watercolor painting. I go into more detail about this process in the course Freely Grown.

Expressive flowers in watercolor. "Syvältä selviytyneet" - a watercolor painting by Paivi Eerola.
“Syvältä selviytyneet”, watercolor, 29.7 x 42 cm

This week I am presenting a watercolor that is part of a small series I painted for the gallery Gumbostrand Konst & Form. The title of this piece is “Syvältä selviytyneet” in Finnish. The English translation could be “Survivors of the Deep” or “those who survived the deep.” The first of the series was “Talven voittaneet” – winners of winter.

Starting with Random Strokes and Splashes

When I start painting, I usually have no idea what the finished piece will express. That keeps my excitement up! The flowers grow gradually and the overall expression takes turns during the painting process.

Starting an expressive flower painting in watercolor.

Even now, I only had an assignment to paint flower paintings with watercolors in the same style as what I had already painted earlier this fall. After the first random layers, I could see big flowers.

Wondering About the Expression

The large size and fearless look of the flowers reminded me of strong wild animals. But the further I painted, the more I began to think about the environment where the flowers had appeared.

Painting the background of the flowers in watercolor.

In nature-themed paintings, it’s important to find the right atmosphere, and that’s where the location matters a lot. I got the feeling that these flowers can withstand even the harshest conditions. Would they live in the desert?

Painting the details for flowers and leaves.

But the softness and roundness of the flowers told of something other than the desert.

Finding the Answer from the Flowers

I looked at the big rose at the bottom edge and asked myself where a flower could swell before decomposing. Then I realized that these have come from deep water and are on their way to the surface. After that, it was easy to add the references to water – like bubbles and water lines – and finish the painting. Painting expressive flowers in watercolor is not only about adjusting the flowers but also finding their back story.

Expressive flowers in watercolor. A detail of "Syvältä selviytyneet" - a watercolor painting by Paivi Eerola.

I think it’s a wonderful idea that you can not only grow from difficulties but also soften. And that difficulties can be overcome by staying together. Surface water which seems cold and drowning to others, can be like a gentle sea of ​​light to these survivors.

Every time I paint flowers, my mood rises!

Romantic Watercolor Florals

Posted on Posted in Artistic Identity, Flowers & Plants, Music & LiteratureTagged 8 Comments on Romantic Watercolor Florals

This week is about red, pink, sugar, and cream – so, romantic watercolor florals!

Talven voittaneet, a floral watercolor painting in reds and pinks by Paivi Eerola.
Talven voittaneet, 29,7 x 42 cm, watercolor

I had a break from watercolor painting for a long time, but in the summer I started again.

Romantic Flowers and Chicklit

In summer, I had all kinds of complicated ideas for a new course, but my inner voice said:

  • – What if we take out the watercolors and do something that hasn’t been done in a long time?
    – Can I be a romantic?” my artist-me asked my educator-me.
    – You can be as romantic as you want, as long as you work systematically and understandably, she said.

When the camera turned on, a short “Yippee!” went up inside me. Freely Grown was born, but watercolor painting didn’t stop there. I had been dreaming for a long time that I could do something lighter – like the writer Rachael Herron, who wanted to start her career with a profound book, but ended up writing a chick-lit novel. He noticed that chick lit is surprisingly challenging and realized that every genre of literature has its own difficulties.

Romantic watercolor florals from an online course Freely grown.
Paintings made for the course Freely Grown. >> Sign up here!

Watercolor Flowers like Sweet Desserts

I’ve learned a lot of painting techniques with watercolors in the past and it can certainly be seen in my oil paintings. But in the summer I started to be interested in what I had learned while painting with oils and whether I could do vice versa – so, use it in watercolors.

Starting new watercolor paintings. Intuitive starts - several at the same time.

Now I didn’t want to do anything hugely abstract, but sweet flowery paintings. The kind that, if they were food, would have a lot of sugar and whipped cream in them.

Painting details in watercolor. A romantic watercolor flower painting in progress.

An artist should probably only do fine dining, but this has started to resonate with me and it has also been nice to notice that there is a demand for it.

Painting flowers using a flat watercolor brush.

Even now, I’m making a small series for a gallery.

Painting romantic watercolor florals

Those Who Won Winter

This red-hued Talven voittaneet is the first for the series of four. The name would be translated into English as “Winners of Winter” but it is not quite the same. The Finnish version is closer to the expression “those who won winter.”

Paivi Eerola's watercolor painting "Talven voittaneet". Watercolor roses.

My favorite part of this painting is unexpectedly the bottom right. I often leave the edges pretty undefined, but here the bottom part plays a key role. It has melting ice from which the flowers rise.

Romantic watercolor florals by päivi Eerola. A detail of a watercolor painting.

Imagine flowers winning the winter with their warmth – isn’t it such a lovely thought! I have really enjoyed making these kinds of romantic watercolor florals.

Flowers and Gala

This week has been busy. I already received a grant from the city of Vantaa in the summer for my early autumn art exhibition, but it was celebrated only last Wednesday when the city organized a cultural gala.

Päivi Eerola and her husband in Vantaa's cultural gala.
My husband is my best supporter.

It was nice to be surrounded by respected colleagues. In the picture, a councilor Lasse Norres representing the city congratulates the visual artists. Päivi Allonen and Satu Laurel also received a grant and are there on the stage with me. They have wonderful paintings and I highly respect them both.

Vantaan kulttuurigaala, a cultural gala of Vantaa, Lasse Norres and visual artists Päivi Allonen, Päivi Eerola, Satu laurel

Have I mentioned that I love flowers? I think if you’ve been following me for even a little while you know that!

Romantic Watercolor Florals

At the moment, my small studio is a flower painter’s heaven and the flowers have free access there, even if I don’t use them directly as models. The flowers of my inner world may resemble the flowers of the outer world, but they have their own romantic life.

Floral watercolor painter's studio
I use a plastic plate on the top of the worktop when painting, and then keep the paintings in progress under the plate between the sessions.

Nice creative moments for your weekend!

Yellow and red rose, a watercolor painting in the background.

Pleasures of Watercolor Painting

Posted on Posted in Flowers & Plants, History, Organizing & TimeTagged , 10 Comments on Pleasures of Watercolor Painting

This week is about watercolor painting and the pleasures that can be found there!

Unelmille avautuneet - Opened to Dreams, a floral watercolor painting by Paivi Eerola.
Unelmille avautuneet – Opened to Dreams, 29,7 x 42 cm, watercolor

Getting Inspiration

Now I’ve been busy with a lot of different things – a new big art project, the new course Freely Grown, commissioned work, etc. Despite that, I stole some time and went to look at old paintings online – skillfully painted portraits of women in fancy dresses. They always make me want to paint, even though I prefer to paint plants and flowers instead of beauties.

Look at this painting of the Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter in 1859!

Inspiration from portraits. Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, oil on canvas, a detail of a larger painting.
Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, oil on canvas.
A detail – only a part of the painting is in this image.

The colors, the brilliant brush strokes, and all the delicate and decorative details are so inspiring!

I used to think that inspirational images must be the same as what I want to paint next. So, if I wanted to paint flowers, then I would only look at flower paintings. But nowadays, I love to be inspired by something different. Then the inspiration doesn’t limit me. It doesn’t depict what I should do and how, but sets an atmosphere that I want to follow.

Love for Good Watercolor Paper

After getting inspired, I opened the closet of my studio, as if secretly from myself, and tore a clean sheet from the watercolor paper pad.

Arches hot press watercolor paper.
Arches Hot Press watercolor paper

One hundred percent cotton, aah! So soft, thick, and ready to receive color. Good paper is expensive, but I paint better when I know in advance that I don’t want to waste a sheet.

Painting and Doing Other Stuff at the Same Time

When I steal time to paint, watercolors are an easy choice. Especially in the beginning, I can do one coat quickly and then let it dry for hours while I do other work.

Pleasures of watercolor painting - starting with a mess.

I can add details little by little, and the pauses often just clarify the idea of ​​the subject of the painting. And when you paint slowly from light to dark, you can always fix it with the next layer.

Pleasures of watercolor painting - proceeding layer by layer.

I often have my iPad nearby and listen and watch something at the same time while I paint.

Watercolor painting in progress.

Luxury Combined with Minimalism

When finishing, it’s pleasurable to take just a little color on the brush, and often near the pan, if it has spilled there. I also check the corners of the palette, where unused paint easily remains. When the color is activated on paper, even a small amount becomes a treasure and an experience!

Painting in progress. Flowers in watercolor without references.

I always buy good artist-quality watercolors one pan and one tube at a time and use them right up to the end. If I buy a tube, I squeeze a small amount into a pan to dry and this way, use the tube in small portions. I love this kind of union of luxury and minimalism – definitely one of the pleasures of watercolor painting to me!

Watercolor painting and supplies.

Finally, I wash the brushes carefully. Washing with water is enough for most brushes, but I often use soap to make sure that all the color has come off. With clean brushes, it’s nice to start a new painting again when I find time.

From Detail to Detail

Here are some pictures of the details.

A detail of a floral watercolor painting by the artist Paivi Eerola.

I like to paint a lot of subtle details, and I love the warmth that yellow has.

A detail of a floral watercolor painting by the artist Paivi Eerola, Finland.

Signing the piece before the final finishing touches makes sure that the signature fits with the rest of the composition.

Pleasures of watercolor painting. A detail of a larger piece painted by Paivi Eerola.

I hope this blog post inspired you to pick watercolors and paint freely!

P.S. Freely Grown – You can still hop in!

Freely Grown - an online art class about painting flowers freely

>> Sign up here!

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