Again

 

"Crab Cove Purples," 5" x 8: watercolor and pencil on Arches 100% cotton cold press w/c paper

I'm learning so much about the value of repeating paintings.  It is not something I used to like to do, but somehow I have more patience and interest for it now. 

With this second version of Monday's composition, I  used aureolin (Daniel Smith) for a cooler yellow than the hansa yellow (Daniel Smith) that I used last time. I took out the foreground post, which I didn't think added much to the composition last time. However I realize now it helped with perspective, giving the sense that the flowers are actually well in front of (not next to) the little bathroom shed. 

Both compositions have value and intensity issues. The actual flowers are more light lavender/purple, with only touches of pink. However, my carbazole violet (Daniel Smith) just seems to fade away when it dries (unless applied without much water, in which case it's too dark)...so that's why I added opera pink (Daniel Smith) and permanent rose (Winsor Newton). But then in both cases, the flower values became too dark. Trying to vary lights and darks is like riding a wild see saw.   

In the end, I think the first composition is better. But the primary dilemma remains: how to interpret that mass of foreground flowers without over-working them. 

Do I have a third try in me? Not sure, but at least I know to be more careful of intensity/value issues with opera pink and permanent rose.