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"Softening technique creates a berry segment"
  
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In this lesson, you will learn how to paint one berry that is beginning to ripen, and one berry that is almost fully ripened, using transparent staining colors.
  

Wild Blackberries

Step-by-Step Lesson

illustrations
  
 
Steps 1 - 3   -   Drawing   -   Color Key

  

Supply List
  The following is a list of paints, brushes, and paper that I recommend for achieving equivalent results.  
   
Paints
Brushes		  
   
  • Winsor Red (W&N)
  • Permanent Alizarin Crimson (W&N)
  • Winsor Blue - red shade (W&N)
  • French Ultramarine Blue (W&N)
  • Sap Green (H)
  • no. 5 round, for softening your edges
  • no. 6 round, with a nice point
  • no. 8 round
  
   
Paper		  
   
  • 5" x 7" ( 12.7cm x 17.78cm) of Arches 300 lb. Cold Pressed watercolor paper
  • Scrap piece of Arches 140 lb for testing your colors and values
  

Painting Terms and Techniques
 


 

The Color Key

These are the colors and values,
you will need for this lesson.
painted color samples
 
Wild Blackberries
   [ 1 ]   Winsor Red (med./dk.)
[ 2 ]   Sap Green (lt./med.)
[ 3 ]   Permanent Alizarin Crimson (med./dk.)
[ 4 ]   Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Winsor Blue (med./dk.)
[ 5 ]   French Ultramarine Blue + Permanent Alizarin Crimson (dk.)
[ 6 ]   Sap Green + Permanent Alizarin Crimson (tad) (lt./med.)

Line Drawing


detailed line drawing of berries


Transfer this line drawing onto your watercolor paper,
enlarging or reducing it as needed.

How to Paint the Berry Segments
     
Some segments have a white highlight.
a segment shown in stages
    
Step 1.

Apply small brush strokes of color, and keep moist.
Step 2.

Quickly soften
the edge, and keep
new edge moist.
Step 3.

Quickly rinse your brush and blot well. Finish softening the edge. Let dry.

The Steps
 
Step 1
The Underpainting
original painting showing underpainting stage
  
   
When you are finished with Step 1,
your berries will look like this.
  
 
illustration showing the areas to be painted for this step
Mix colors:

[ 1 ]

[ 2 ]

[ 4 ]

[ 5 ]
  
 
With your kneaded eraser, remove enough graphite from the berries
to make the lines barely visible.


Berries

You will need two brushes: one for pigment, another for clean water.

Small berry
Load your pigment brush with [ 1 ], and paint a short distance. Rinse your brush and blot well. Load your brush with [ 2 ] and charge [ 2 ] into [ 1 ]. Finish painting the segment with [ 2 ]. Paint all the segments in the same manner, carefully leaving white highlights on certain berries as shown in the illustration. Rinse your brush and blot well. Remember to let each segment dry completely before painting the one next to it.

Large berry
Load your pigment brush with [ 4 ], and paint all the segments on the left side of the berry following the directions on  "How to paint the berry segments"  as explained above. Rinse your brush and blot well. Load your brush with [ 5 ] and paint all the segments with on the right side in the same manner, carefully leaving white highlights as shown in the illustration.


Stems

Load your brush with [ 2 ], and paint the long narrow stems, as well as the tiny leaves on top of each berry. Be sure to let each area dry before painting the one next to it. 		 
 
 
  
 
Step 2
 Adding the Details
original painting showing the added details
  
   
When you are finished with Step 2,
your berries will look like this.
  
 
illustration showing the areas to be painted for this step
Mix colors:

[ 3 ]

[ 5 ]

[ 6 ]
  
  Berries

Small berry
Load your brush with [ 6 ] and paint all the segments on the left side as shown in the illustration. Start each segment with a few brush strokes of color, then soften the inside edge with a clean moist brush. Paint each segment separately, and let each one dry completely before painting the one next to it. Rinse your brush and blot well.

Large berry
Load your brush with [ 5 ], and paint the segments on the left side as shown in the illustration. Start each segment with a few brush strokes of color, finishing by softening that edge with a clean moist brush. Let each segment dry before painting the one next to it. Rinse your brush and blot well. Load your brush with [ 3 ], and paint the two segments on the right side as shown in the illustration, softening the inside edges with a clean moist brush. While those two segments are drying, and with [ 3 ] still in your brush, paint in between all the segments as shown. Rinse your brush and blot well.


Stems

Load your brush with [ 6 ], and paint down the left side of one of the stems. Quickly take your clean moist brush and soften along the right edge. Repeat the same on the other berry. Let dry. With [ 6 ] still in your brush, paint the small leaves on the top of the berries as shown in the illustration, softening the inside edges with a clean moist brush. Let each one dry before painting the one next to it.		  
 
 
  
 
Step 3
 The Finishing Touches
original painting showing the finishing touches
  
   
When you are finished with Step 3,
your berries will look like this.
  
 
Take a clean, moist brush and lightly go over some of the highlights on the segments on the left side of the berries to slightly tone them down. 		 


Lesson
Reflective
Gold Spoon
Watercolor Painting   Lessons

  Wild Blackberries
Lesson
Fluffy Duckling
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