Watercolor painting 101: Apple

CEBU, Philippines - Make use of your vacation, kids, to find that artist in you. Look for your neglected art materials and capture in paper the things you don't have the time to appreciate during school days. Who knows, you might be the next Picasso. Start with still life painting.

Why still life? Because it's easier for budding artists to paint inanimate objects than moving ones. All you need is an unmoving object, your tools in painting and, with your skills, you're good to go. 

Here are the tools and materials you need:

• Watercolor pencils

• Watercolor paper or eggshell drawing paper

• Sable brush

For your subject, you can choose to paint an orange, a vase full of flowers or just about anything. Almost always, an apple is preferable for its vibrant color and familiar shape.

1. Start with a rough sketch. With your red watercolor pencil, create a sketch with a real apple as your model or draw from your imagination; just remember, an apple is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. And don't forget the stem.

2. Block in color. Start with red watercolor pencil and fill up the fruit with uniform strokes. Add a dab of yellow at the upper portion of the apple and a little black at the bottom.

3. Add shadows. This is to prevent you from coming up with a flat image. Shading and shadows make for a solid-looking apple. Apply your black watercolor pencil under the fruit to achieve just that.

4. Blend the painting. Dip your sable brush in water, wipe most of it with a towel and with little water on your brush, paint over the apple, blending the colors with uniform strokes.

5. Add highlights. Once your painting is dry, apply colors of yellow and white on the upper portion of the apple deliberately. Blend with water.

Finish your piece by stamping your signature on it. Have a fun creative summer! And do try painting a basket full of apples next time.