Medinilla Magnifica - Winner of the Daler-Rowney award at the Society of Botanical Artists exhibition in London

I first of all studied the plant and did rough sketches and plans of how I would like the composition to be, the plant however spoke volumes and how it wanted to be placed on the page, so onto the drawing, excited about getting it started I drew straight onto my paper.

I use a 300gms Hot Pressed smooth watercolour paper.
After removing any excess pencil, I applied a clear wash of water to the image.
I tend to use a size 3 or 4 sable brush with a good point rather than the very small brushes as I feel it holds the paint better, hence being able to give a broad wash plus using the fine point for detailed work.
Then working around the drawing I applied a very pale pink watercolour wash to the flowers, leaving highlights as I went, the green of the leaves were a mixture of the Daler Rowney range of greens which I love because they enable me to go from the palest of colours to the more intense dark green, adding some cerulean and cobalt as I went.
As the end of the petals were tinged with green/gold I dropped in some sunlit green and quinacridone gold. I also found that mixing the gold with the green and applying them over the veins intensified the colour perfectly.