Lillias currently uses watercolours with a limited palette of six basic colours (Ultramarine, Cerulean, Violet, Cadmium red, Cadmium yellow and Lemon yellow) and three extras (Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna and Viridian). She uses the best quality paints and brushes on Saunders Waterford paper, which she stretches, however heavy, as she likes a solid surface. Lillias uses masking fluid and ‘lifting’ techniques to retain whites and create various effects.

She works on one painting at a time except at times when she needs to leave a couple of days for a colour to ‘set’. Lillias works rather ponderously, laying wash upon wash and building up the work very slowly. The effect is often very still and perhaps uncharacteristic of looser, more instant techniques. She uses brief sketches, notes, memories and photos for her landscape work, building up paintings in the studio and often returning to the subject as work progresses. Lillias finds that personal written notes are very evocative in recalling the sense of a place and its effect on her. Her still life work is done in the studio from life – she often finishes it without the objects in front of her. © 2018 Federation of British Artists