Painting Peonies with Watercolor at NYBG

[@MikeCampo]

Thank you for the lesson and you did a great job capturing the essence of the peonies. I also enjoyed hearing the small talk with the people passing by.

[@user-qr8qh7ss8f]

Beautiful ❤ imagine stumbling upon James Gurney painting at the botanical gardens 😍

[@ralphcrosby9622]

Imagine stumbling upon him in a Junk Yard. I am sure there would be some amazing sketches to be done.

[@sarahnoda]

Some of us were lucky enough to have done just that!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Incredible. I recently started painting flowers and they are hugely challenging.

[@DannySabraArt]

I often get lost in the leaves or petals! Have you seen Heather Ihn Martin’s floral works? She’s such an inspiration. Her gouache and oil paintings both are exquisite.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

@@DannySabraArt yes! Really pretty. I found a lot of tutorials as well but nothing prepares you for deciphering what you see in person 😵‍💫 I feel like with bright reds and pinks my eyes just go crossed and I can’t see accurate values. I know I just need practice but it’s a weird experience!

[@leus]

To me the most challenging part is to make the resulting painting interesting at all. You can do everything right and still end up with a dull piece.

[@DannySabraArt]

@@SarahBurnsStudio yes 100%. With those intense values sometimes it’s just realizing that what you see is not achievable with your pigments. Like a red rose in direct sunlight? Probably can’t get that saturation and value and have to aim for one or the other. But I am Actually intrigued by his use of multiple Quinracadone’s. That might actually be the solution. Haha. I’ll have to play around with it.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

@@DannySabraArt yes so true! And that highlights how important it is to preserve your saturation for special areas. I tend to overdo it

[@Mspuppylove212]

"Capture the basic truth of the flower in the time I had." This made me so happy. Thank you for sharing your talent

[@koskey06]

You are my favorite "alive" artist! I'm a lover of ink and a new lover of watercolor. I'm not very good at either but I'm self teach and I enjoy doin it so............

[@jakovj.m.5322]

Now those jeans have real value! :) painting itself is a beautiful work, greetings✌

[@shawalshamsudin7954]

Mr gurney you are one of reason i changing from watercolor paint to gouache, love your art and glad to see your post..

[@hfdennycheng9010]

IT IS SUCH A GOOD FOLLWER FOR SPRING

[@lauraking1331]

"Capture the basic truth of the flower." Beautiful!

[@cristinasalesluis3075]

Absolutely marvelous! Your paintings are so inspiring James! Thank you for sharing!

[@tthappyrock368]

More people need to get outdoors and paint or draw or both. Take time to observe, to be in and a part of the world. Thank you!

[@emmayonder]

Finding your channel, and remembering the impact your work had on my childhood, inspired me to get back into art again in a serious way. Your rendering of light moves the heart.

[@OceanVibrations]

Wow! what talent. Absolutely beautiful James.

[@katdoe4779]

Always love to see you post, I feel very lucky to be able to watch these amazing demonstrations for free! It’s inspiring to watch you paint, and your commentary is really insightful! Lovely painting!

[@rednightwood2582]

my idol, I want to enjoy the surroundings like you do. Painting and capturing the essence of the beauty just hits different, watching you always make me want to grab my sketchpad and paint some.

[@JamesGurney]

Wow, thank you

[@appleknocker56]

So wish our rural area had options like this even if not botanical garden. As a beginner with no art classes so wish could have real ppl painting & give you tips and encouragement as finding flowers not easy! Light & so many colors! Yours is stunning!

[@ginadesperado]

Thank you so much for your selfless sharing! I watch all your gouache videos and really appreciate what you share with us, your professional skills really help me to get into gouache day by day ! I was in art school and was always scared of watercolour painting because it's kinda challenging---and it eventually would turn disaster! Gouache for me is much flexible and creative to paint with instinct, I can paint from light to dark or opposite way. Now I am enjoying using gouache and watercolour together under your guidance. THANK YOU! ☺

[@julielevasseur7391]

So lovely. Was on my way out and stopped in my tracks to see this. Captivating!

[@dougg1075]

Living the artistic dream. Beautiful painting

[@taurtle_art]

its nice to see you explain the easel in more details!

[@kellysartthrob]

Wow, just gorgeous. Amazing how true to life your painting is side by side to the actual flower.

[@edzejandehaan9265]

Very nice plein air kit you got there. Love the DIY approach. I've got a camera tripod I'd like to kit out like that. My main hesitation is the lack of confidence to go out and paint in public. A good excuse to keep painting indoors is the iffy climate here in Iceland. Great scenery though. I am a great admirer of your work.

[@lisapalombo]

Super video James! Loved painting with you all that day!

[@JamesGurney]

Same here!

[@TheKaneECO]

James, you're one of the artists that inspires me to try out new subjects with painting. Each time I step outside my bounds my confidence grows as I realize my natural gift for painting. I'm pursuing it as a career and know I will become a successful illustrator. I plan to pass on the traditions of the greats like Howard Pyle and be a pillar for the arts. I cannot take these skills with me when I leave this world, so I leave this world with artists who will learn form me in the future. All the respect in the world to you sir.

[@jackieojeda6101]

Magnificent! I could not take my eyes off of this painting 😍!!

[@sarahnoda]

Hooray!!! Couldn't wait to see this. The tree peonies were amazing Saturday! It was so great meeting you and your wife. You guys are just as friendly and sweet as I'd imagined from you videos. Hope to see you again next year.

[@prexytheartist]

Beautiful painting! The vibrancy of the peonies look amazing 💞

[@hildegardkhelfa]

So besutiful! Thank you for sharing.

[@scottenosh4548]

These videos are very relaxing

[@feralcatbox]

The epitome of spring! Thank you as always for the thoughtfulness and effort you put into your videos - I always recommend them to anyone asking about learning to paint in watercolor or gouache.

[@f.b.jeffers0n]

So, I see you're next on the collab, and therefore I wanted a sneak peek. Worth the sub! Will definitely be checking out more stuff!

[@lassolegenda]

No doubt about it, amazingly gorgeous. And yes, I am talking about the towel wig.

[@greenmacaroni8872]

Hi James, this is beautiful! Flowers are so hard for me, but you’re right it takes patience. I need to work on them. Lol, you and George Washington! Opera Rose, is wonderful. Thank you for sharing. Hugs, Julie 🥰

[@deborahcorreale352]

Absolutely beautiful.

[@CharleyWang]

A flower is very common in the park, but it is very interesting to be drawn by you, I like that you always have friends to travel with, it is great fun, you draw very well, thank you for sharing, always great!

[@bmruiz316]

You have the best videos, always a pleasure to watch and learn!

[@dianeo]

Luminous lovelies. I go cross-eyed trying to paint all those petals. Beautiful job. It helps to have such a functional set-up, too! (8:31 LOL)

[@rflixy]

Amazing!! Thank you for sharing.

[@jenniefrench1338]

I enjoyed your botanical painting, I love painting flowers or botanicals but I am wimpy when it gets very hot out. So I am working on one of those large detailed ones inside. The current one is wisteria plus a few added little hummingbirds. Those light diffusers must be great for that back glare. I will give that a try for sure. Thank you for sharing your lovely paintings and inspiration. It’s awesome!

[@sandradonofrio413]

I’m working from very old peony plants with white blooms. A pinkish tinge to the outer petals. I have a fat bud chair side which I sketch as it opens. I love drawing and painting flowers. Nice watching you work.

[@ZoungyArt]

Yay! I've been looking forward to this

[@nerfherder4284]

The art is always wonderful, but can I just say that you seem like an exceptionally kind and cool dude ⭐.

[@DannySabraArt]

Incredible! I painted in a local rose garden several times last year and really got to appreciate the difficulty but fun challenge of painting flowers out doors. I always struggled to really get those intense colors, especially in the highlights. I should investigate some of those Quinracadone pigments and see if they’d help. I mostly used Cad red for red roses.

[@jodymccabe2586]

Permanent Rose is similar to Gurney's red"Opera Rose."

[@rivercrying58]

Beautiful painting!!

[@itsanartjournal]

Sad I missed you while there! It was a great day out for sketching!

[@JaredCullum]

Fantastic. Next time I want to focus on flowers more- I have been focusing on the architecture there. This is just so lovely.

[@JamesGurney]

Thanks, Jared. Love the video you and your wife produced.

[@koskey06]

I just wish I could study, watch and learn from you for even just a day. I feel you can turn me from just someone who is in love with "art", ink an watercolor/a fan of yours....into someone who can actually create art I'm proud of. As of now I just enjoy mixing color and watching it react on paper.... but I stink at art

[@bonnielewis8797]

Absolutely beautifully painted flowers!

[@petermot645]

Great work again, thank you for sharing !

[@juanalday4569]

amazing as always, i am always excited to see your videos, i have learned a lot, you are my inspiration. thank you!!

[@marlan6431]

Lovely!

[@andreatorraca8755]

Beautiful

[@Tat2TankT]

Great as always bro thanks for sharing

[@bentoubab]

Lovely 😍 thanks for sharing 🙏

[@jcsallen3]

Fabulous~~~~~~~

[@Isamolle]

Yes, very stylish.

[@dikson2161]

Well done Mr. Gurney

[@yourtwistedlies4275]

It's crazy to think some random stranger was just asking such simple questions to a stranger she saw at the park, but who unknowingly to her happens to be in the elite of the living masters.

[@ShahanoorMamun]

wow.... amazingly done..... just loved your technique and the result is superb.... greetings

[@MoonRabbitCook]

So beauttiful

[@PamelaSaralliArte]

Che bello! 😍😍😍🤗👍🏻👏🏻🌼

[@orbahalul8426]

I want to be like you when i grow up

[@fullsunoo]

so beautiful!!

[@GuenevereSchwien]

Great video, why don't you use a larger umbrella on sunny days like this? You might be able to cover your sketchbook and your neck!

[@JamesGurney]

Main reason I don't use umbrellas is that they are so prone to blowdowns.

[@zlwang8504]

Incredible painting as always! But I can't help but notice a minor issue that opera rose is not really very lightfast since it is made with pr122 and florescent pigment. Most brands of watercolor rate their opera rose the lowest on their lightfastness scale.

[@oksanakulkovets5692]

Great.

[@notyou6674]

i have a challenge idea for you, paint something you have never painted before left handed with paints you haven't used before to emulate part of the challenge of being a new painter

[@bookyeti]

Lovely! The white pencil you used at the end to highlight some edges of the petals... is that just a plain white coloured pencil or conté?

[@roomboow]

🔥🔥🔥

[@Kyomiibrown]

Which brand of opera rose do you use James? I only ask because you stated it is lightfast yet it is known to be fugitive. I’ve not discovered a lightfast version but would love to :)

[@JamesGurney]

I used Winsor & Newton. The pigment listed is PR122, about which Bruce MacAvoy of Handprint.com says "ASTM rates the lightfastness of PR122 in watercolors as "fair" (III, "may be satisfactory when used full strength or with extra protection from exposure to light"), but other manufacturer and independent tests rate it higher. My 2004 lightfastness tests of the nine paint brands listed above, which show color variations that suggest several different pigment particle sizes or pigment suppliers, revealed very little or no color degradation, after 800+ hours of direct sunlight exposure....Michael Wilcox relies on the ASTM documents for his pigment ratings, he has been critical of this pigment without any corroborating evidence of its fallability."

[@Kyomiibrown]

@@JamesGurney Thank you for your detailed response. I just watched a video where there was minimal lightfast change on W&N - but even less change (barely any) on Holbein’s version. There wasn’t a lot in it though. Looks like I need to invest in some, I only have the Sennelier version. Thanks again!

[@GuenevereSchwien]

Great question thanks for asking.

[@Frank_Nemo]

Top Tip: if the inane jabber/questions of people passing by puts you off trying plein air? - then wear a pair of white headphones and they'll leave you alone. Why white? - white can be seen as they approach you. One lady who I used to paint with, used to pretend she was deaf, but that's probably taking it too far. Not a big problem in Britain, where I'm from, but still worth packing a pair...just in case.

[@painter662]

Opera Rose… what is your brand? The only versions I have seen are all rated as fugitive. I’d love a stable opera…

[@artonthecreek]

Beautiful! Did I hear you correctly-I thought Opera Rose was a fugitive color. I love it and use it in florals-I have W/N professional series opera rose watercolor. I’ve never thought to look for a more lightfast brand-which one are you using, James? Thank you

[@AnnieNoodle]

I was wondering the same! I thought that all Operas had dyes in them, which makes them fugitive.

[@JamesGurney]

There's some dispute about the lightfastness of opera rose, and I haven't tested it myself. ATSM rates it as "fair," but apparently hasn't shared any experimental data. Bruce MacAvoy of the Handprint website, who is THE authority on watercolor pigment characteristics, has tested Winsor/Newton PR 122 and other brands and found them to be extremely reliable under extended exposure to light.

[@AnnieNoodle]

@@JamesGurney PR122 is excellent, but he also says that Holbein Opera Rose has a dye in it, and seems to indicate W&N does as well, and says "these paints should not be used in collectible quality artwork". It might always be the safest bet to do your own testing regardless? Also I'm sorry I didn't say how much I love your flower paints. They always have such life to them!!

[@artonthecreek]

@@JamesGurney that is marvelous! I feel much better about giving/selling the pieces I’ve used this pigment on. Yes he is THE authority and I thank you for that information-I didn’t even think to research either! I’m so glad you chose to use Opera Rose, James!

[@artonthecreek]

@@AnnieNoodle I feel I must do a lightfast test if my own now!🤔 Very interesting.

[@ralphcrosby9622]

Beautiful work- would mind sharing what type watercolor pencil you used at the end? You were able to apply the perfect white detail.

[@abelsean7082]

Up

[@JamesGurney]

It's a white Caran d'Ache Supracolor II.

[@oogalook]

A flippant part of me craves to remark, "Render times on a biological GPU are kinda long but totally worth it."

[@socratesthecabdriver]

🙏🌊🔱🌪️🌪️🌪️

[@nanthilrodriguez]

Mr Gurney, One of the biggest facts that has discouraged me from trying gouache is that besides you, every example of gouache I find online besides old masters are doing extremely linear, and stylistically graphic work with gouache, and so it is hard to find a working process that produces the results I might want from oil. I like to start with my deepest darks and block in full sections of shadow and dark tone right off the bat, and so using water media in the past has been very discouraging to me, needing to patiently build to the darkest sections. I'm assuming the process of thin to thick with gradually decreasing medium is the process you're going for, but then I keep hearing how retouching reactivates the layers, but that's the very reason I don't enjoy watercolor. I would like to find an opaque medium like oils that I can take with me, and gouache seems to be the only non-toxic option. I would also like a medium that is capable of being pushed to a high level of render, and you achieve this effect quite well, but I don't see anyone else achieving this effect, and I understand your process, after having watched every one of your videos for many years. Do you have any courses that are more fundamental on your process? You tell such grand stories, and I enjoy watching, but I don't feel like I have any sense for where to start with gouache besides these other content creators using linear and graphical styles.

[@vovchik1438]

8:33 😁

[@ryanembry9875]

I always thought opera rose was a super fugitive pigment... Now im confused

[@eryngi1462]

So.. beautiful.. can't really say anything else, my vocabulary is very limited ahaha

[@safir2241]

james gurney, i feel like im good at seeing values and color, but being away from my materials for too long makes me feel like a baby when mixing and handling the stuff.

[@gabrielbruce1977]

"Moleskine is also good" listen. Moleskine is overpriced and terrible quality. It's like trying to paint on butcher paper. BUT! Some folks might be okay with that experience so I'm not discounting the suggestion!

[@perevision]

I think he means Moleskine watercolour notebooks, which have decent paper if sometimes inconsistent sizing. The regular Moleskines are pretty terrible, I agree!

[@karenhoward303]

Beautiful