I have begun to sketch the azalea flowers in preparation for my watercolour painting. I shall complete a number of sketches that will form part of a composition for the full painting. It is important that the arrangement of blooms is balanced within the composition which, although some leaves will be there to complement the flowers, will be dominated by the pink blooms. The light, which was strong on a 30 degree sunny Rome in May 2013, will be accentuated by the use of some intense shadows. One of the features that I love about azalea flowers is the pattern on some of the petals that resembles shadows from the stamens. In the painting it will be important to differentiate between these.