How to paint a shiny blackberry

With their plump little segments, blackberries are full of rounded form and plenty of shine.

To paint form in a subject we need to capture it’s full tonal (or value) range – from it’s lightest shiniest highlights through to it’s darkest dark shadows.

And highlights in watercolour can be tricky because we can’t add them in at the end.

So in this video I show you the process I went through to create those shiny highlights and paint a blackberry that’s popping off the paper:

I hope you enjoy the video and are inspired to try painting your own blackberry. You can find a full video class of it in my online School and it’s also available as a project in my book Anna Mason’s Watercolour World.

Check out some of my School members’ results below!

Share this post!

23 Comments

  1. Ernest Galvan Jr. on May 31, 2018 at 3:13 pm

    Thank you Anna for sharing the free video. I enjoyed it very much,

  2. Charlotte Bullock on May 31, 2018 at 3:21 pm

    Awesome, there is nothing more fun than watching your watercolors come to life!!!!!! Thank goodness you are sharing your great talents with all of us, especially me.
    Charlotte Bullock, Bluff City, Tennessee

  3. Susan on May 31, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    W O W !!! Amazing!

  4. Aisling on May 31, 2018 at 3:48 pm

    Lovely video Anna

  5. Jennifer Willson on May 31, 2018 at 3:59 pm

    Thank you for an excellent quick tutorial. I was a member of your school for 18mths, and thoroughly enjoyed being part of the school. I sadly had to leave as I was not managing to watch the tutorials successfully. It appeared that the Apple iPad was not compatible at that time.
    I did buy your book, and am continuing to paint. As yet I haven’t managed the time to paint this blackberry. It was great to watch this tutorial without the video breaking up and stopping.

  6. Mary McCauley on May 31, 2018 at 4:08 pm

    Hi Anna, Your videos are so helpful! I am currently doing an illustration of a Colorado Blue Spruce “snagwood”. The bark is quite a challenge, but – your technique of value painting is really working to get that texture and depth of the old bark. I hope you can come back soon to teach at the Denver School of Botanic Art and Illustration again.

  7. Linda Thibault on May 31, 2018 at 4:31 pm

    Thank you for your video. It is very helpful. I will have to try it. I noticed that you have a tablet holder on your table. I would be very interested in procuring one for myself. Can you tell me where you purchased yours. If possible, I would order one online as I am from Quebec, Canada. Thank you for all your help and once again thank you for your wonderful video.

  8. judith theriault on May 31, 2018 at 6:10 pm

    Thank you so much Anna for staying connected with us. Could you please share what you use to draw you sketch on paper prior to painting…. Is is watercolor pencil or water soulable graphite or ? Thank you for your response.

  9. Marion Keene on June 1, 2018 at 12:10 am

    Yes, I have your book and have painted the Blackberry. My painting turned out well and is hanging on my wall.

    • Anna Mason on June 5, 2018 at 1:34 pm

      Great news Marion!

  10. Prabha on June 1, 2018 at 4:33 pm

    Thank you Anna for the video lesson. I like the way you get the highlights without using masking fluid. Rather difficult with water colours!

  11. Amy on September 16, 2020 at 12:50 am

    Hi Anna, thank you for sharing. You and your paintings are so beautiful

  12. Hilda on September 16, 2020 at 1:17 am

    Thankyou so much Anna for the video. You are inspirational. Makes me want to paint more xxx

  13. Mythili on September 16, 2020 at 3:58 am

    Thank you for this video! Will try painting the blackberries! They look so real!

  14. Valeria on September 16, 2020 at 8:32 pm

    Grazie Molto interessante

  15. Jackie powell on September 21, 2020 at 12:05 am

    Thankyou Anna your tutorials are awesome

Leave a Comment





Share this post!

Subscribe to blog updates

Blog Updates

The information you provide here will be used only to deliver the email course, along with other relevant updates from me. You can unsubscribe anytime. Click here for our privacy policy.