Carolina Lily in Watercolor

Watercolor on Stonehenge paper, about 4 hours. 9x12”

The Subject

I saw Carolina lilies a few years ago in Conecuh National Forest. Their elegant habit graced the longleaf pine forests, and I wanted to capture the essence of their beauty in this painting.

The Process

Using the reference photo I had taken, I began by lightly sketching the lily. I wasn’t satisfied with the proportions, so I turned the reference photo upside down to trick my brain into thinking I was drawing a shape rather than a flower.

Next, I applied a watercolor wash to the background, carefully avoiding the delicate stamens. I added two or three glazes of orange over the petals, mixing in some green to subdue the orange. To finish, I added dark spots on the petals, painted the the stamens, finished the stem, and added a few highlights.

P.S. During the trip, I learned that Honda Civics can be all-terrain vehicles when driven carefully.

The all-terrain Civic in action