
Janet Whittle is a professional artist and qualified teacher specialising in flowers and landscapes in watercolour and pastel. Her book, 'How to Paint Flowers and Plants', is a comprehensive guide to painting flowers and plants in watercolour. The book showcases Whittle's vibrant and imaginative compositions, with clear step-by-step explanations of her techniques and numerous examples of her work. It covers a range of creative techniques, including wet-in-wet, wet-in-dry, negative painting, and masking, providing guidance on painting backgrounds and composition. With detailed sections on materials, drawing, and techniques, this book is an excellent resource for beginners and experienced artists alike, offering a unique insight into Whittle's creative process and approach to capturing the beauty of flowers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Author | Janet Whittle |
| Author's Qualifications | Professional artist, qualified teacher, and award-winning painter |
| Book's Focus | Painting flowers and plants |
| Medium | Watercolour |
| Techniques Covered | Wet-in-wet, wet-on-dry, negative painting, masking, lifting out, glazing, and more |
| Book's Features | Step-by-step instructions, clear visuals, patterns to trace, and examples of the author's work |
| Difficulty Level | Beginner to intermediate |
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What You'll Learn

Painting backgrounds and composition
Whittle's books provide clear step-by-step explanations of her techniques, with numerous examples of her work. She covers various creative techniques for capturing the beauty of flowers and plants, including wet-in-wet, wet-in-dry, negative painting, masking, lifting out, and glazing. Whittle also provides guidance on painting backgrounds and composition, which are characterised by their lively and vibrant nature.
In her books, Whittle gives specific instructions on how to paint backgrounds and provides tips on using negative painting techniques to create vibrant and imaginative compositions. She teaches readers how to lift colours to make stems and stalks look natural, how to vein the leaves, and colour the petals. Whittle's books include clear step-by-step projects on flowers like snowdrops, poppies, and daisies, with many illustrations of her finished work.
The author's watercolour painting books are highly praised for their easy-to-follow instructions and detailed explanations of paints and techniques. The full-page illustrations and clear, colourful photos make it easier for readers to copy and learn the techniques. Whittle's books are considered a great resource for beginners and experienced artists alike, providing inspiration and guidance on painting flowers and plants.
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Wet-in-wet and wet-on-dry techniques
Janet Whittle's book, 'How to Paint Flowers and Plants', is a brilliant tool for any aspiring flower artist or hobby painter. The book showcases Whittle's watercolour paintings, characterised by their vibrant use of colour and imaginative compositions. It includes clear step-by-step explanations of all her techniques and numerous examples of her work.
Wet-on-wet involves applying wet paint to wet paper or adding it to a wash of fresh wet paint. This technique produces soft edges, complex random effects, and beautiful colour graduation.
Wet-on-dry is when wet paint is applied to a dry surface or area. This technique allows for more precision and detail, sharper edges, and well-defined shapes. It also allows for more control over the paint, preventing bleeding or flowing over the paper surface. This technique is particularly useful for realistic and hyper-realistic styles where precision is paramount.
To use the wet-on-dry technique, dip your brush in your water container and gently swoosh it around to get the water into the spaces between the bristles. Then, take it out and gently tap it on a cloth to remove excess water. You don't want the brush to be dripping wet. Mix some water into your paint until you reach your desired value (how dark or light you want the paint to be). You can also add more paint if you mix in too much water. When you are happy with the consistency, you can start painting. Remember to allow each layer to dry before adding subsequent layers or details.
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Negative painting, masking and lifting out
Janet Whittle's book "How to Paint Flowers and Plants" is a brilliant tool for any aspiring artist or hobby painter. Whittle is a professional artist and qualified teacher who has exhibited her work at the Westminster Galleries in London, the Mall Galleries, and other international venues. Her book includes clear step-by-step explanations of all her techniques and numerous examples of her work.
One of the techniques that Whittle covers in her book is negative painting. Negative painting is a technique where you paint around the subject rather than on the subject. It adds depth and dimension to your paintings and helps guide the viewer's eye through the painting. By concentrating on the negative space rather than the subject itself, you can create more interesting compositions and improve the flow and movement of your painting.
To create a negative painting, you can use masking fluid or tape to protect the areas you want to keep white or light. You then paint around the subject, allowing the white of the paper to create glowing lights and highlights. This technique can be built up in layers, with each layer drying completely before the next is added.
Lifting out is a related technique where paint is lifted from the paper using a stiff brush and clean water to create highlights and reflected light. This can be done after the negative painting process to add further depth and dimension to the painting.
Overall, negative painting, masking, and lifting out are valuable techniques for any watercolour artist to have in their toolkit. They can add interest and depth to a painting and are particularly effective when used to paint flowers and plants, as demonstrated by Janet Whittle in her book.
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Glazing and detailing flowers
Glazing is a technique used to add depth and shine to a painting. It involves applying multiple thin layers of paint, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. This creates a translucent effect, giving the illusion of light shining through the paint. In her book "Painting Flowers and Plants", Janet Whittle provides clear step-by-step instructions on how to use the glazing technique to capture the beauty of flowers and plants in watercolour.
When glazing, it is important to start with light colours and gradually build up to darker shades. This allows for better control over the final colour and value of the painting. Whittle recommends using a limited palette of colours and mixing your own shades to create a harmonious composition. She also suggests using photographs as a reference for colour mixing and composition.
For detailing flowers, Whittle provides instructions on how to vein the leaves and colour the petals. She includes patterns that can be traced to create realistic-looking leaves and petals. Additionally, she covers the techniques of wet-in-wet and wet-in-dry painting, which can be used to create interesting textures and effects when detailing flowers.
Whittle's book includes clear step-by-step projects on painting specific flowers such as snowdrops, poppies, and daisies. These projects provide valuable guidance on glazing and detailing, allowing artists to create vibrant and detailed flower portraits. Whittle's own paintings are characterised by their lively backgrounds and vibrant use of colour, and she offers instructions on how to achieve similar effects in your own work.
Overall, Janet Whittle's "Painting Flowers and Plants" is an excellent resource for artists looking to improve their glazing and detailing techniques when painting flowers. With its clear instructions, step-by-step projects, and beautiful illustrations, this book offers a comprehensive guide to capturing the beauty and intricacy of flowers in watercolour.
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Techniques, materials and step-by-step guides
Janet Whittle's book, 'How to Paint Flowers and Plants', is a comprehensive guide to watercolour painting techniques for flowers and plants. The book is ideal for beginners and experienced artists alike, with clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations that are easy to follow.
The book covers a range of creative techniques, including wet-in-wet, wet-in-dry, negative painting, masking, lifting out, and glazing. Whittle also provides guidance on the finer details of flower painting, such as veining and stamens, as well as advice on composition and background creation.
One of the standout features of Whittle's book is her ability to explain complex techniques in a simple and accessible manner. She provides detailed descriptions of different paints and how to use them, making it easy for readers to understand and follow. The book also includes sections on drawing, composition, and techniques, with plenty of bright and colourful photos to illustrate the processes.
'How to Paint Flowers and Plants' also includes step-by-step projects on specific flowers, such as snowdrops, poppies, and daisies. These projects provide a practical walkthrough of the entire painting process, from start to finish. Whittle's vibrant and imaginative use of colour is a defining feature of her work, and she offers guidance on colour mixing and creating evocative compositions.
With 280 illustrations and clear step-by-step explanations, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to improve their floral watercolour painting skills or simply seeking inspiration from Whittle's gorgeous artwork.
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Frequently asked questions
The book showcases Janet Whittle's watercolour paintings, which are known for their vibrant use of colour and imaginative compositions. It includes clear step-by-step explanations of her techniques and numerous examples of her work.
The book covers many creative techniques for capturing the beauty of flowers and plants, including wet-in-wet, wet-on-dry, negative painting, masking, lifting out, glazing and more. It also provides guidance on painting backgrounds and composition.
The book is suitable for beginners and intermediate painters. It is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn how to paint flowers and plants or improve their skills.
The book has received positive reviews, with readers praising its clear and easy-to-follow instructions, beautiful illustrations, and helpful tips and techniques. Some have described it as a "fabulous instruction book" and a "very good purchase".











































