Begin with an outline drawing.

Seen from above, the rim of the pot is almost two concentric circles. 

Draw the circles first in pencil, then the side of the pot on the lower right hand side with its gap for the plant.

Next draw the leaves and fruit overlapping the pot before using a putty rubber to erase the lines of the pot under the leaves.

Paint masking fluid round the rim and side of the pot

Prepare a fairly strong wash of lemon and cobalt and another weaker wash of burnt sienna.

When the masking fluid is dry, wet the whole paper with clean water and use a flat brush to sweep the green wash over the leaves, sometimes with more lemon in it and sometimes with more cobalt, trying to avoid the strawberries.

While it is still wet, paint the rest of the background randomly with both washes.

Prepare another wash of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna and apply it randomly to the background, lighter on the right, darker on the left and under the leaves.

Prepare a stronger mix of ultramarine and burnt sienna and paint it carefully over the compost dropping a little green was in places to suggest natural variations in tone. 

Paint over the top left corner of the background, merging gradually.

When it is completely dry, rub off all the masking fluid and prepare a wash of burnt sienna.

Paint clear water round the outer edge of the rim and the burnt sienna wash nearer the centre. When this is dry, paint the side of the pot with a stronger wash of burnt sienna under the rim, lighter in places lower down. 

Wet each strawberry fruit with clear water and drop a little cadmium red at the base and a tiny drop of weak lemon/green at the pointed end and allow them to merge gradually. 

Darken part of the leaves near the centre of each ‘trio’ and down the central vein with a wash of ultramarine and lemon taking care to leave most of the original wash untouched for bright light.

Using a small brush, suggest the veins on the leaves with small curved lines.

About Margaret Eggleton

Margaret is a member of the Society of Women Artists (SWA) and the Society of Graphic Fine Art (SGFA). She regularly exhibits with the ChelseaArt Society. She gives demonstrations and tutors workshops and painting holidays. Visit www.margareteggleton.co.uk for details.

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