Face Off — Peruvian Lilies vs mountain Laurel Buds. Watercolor on paper. 9” x 9”.
New Watercolor — Face off: Peruvian Lilies vs Mountain Laurel Buds
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Tag Archives: flowers
It’s been awhile ~~ here’s my latest painting!
I just finished an intensive four day workshop with outstanding local artist and teacher, Bernie Dellario. We were expected to make up a ‘color chart’ exploring the ways in which 3 tube colors (yellow, red & blue) + white could mix together to make virtually all the colors you might want.
We also painted ten 3-value monochrome paintings; ten 3-value color paintings; and a plein air painting which we then translated into a larger ‘studio painting’ (hopefully retaining the 3-value structure of the studies). Here’s my 16″ x 20″ studio painting of our cannas, through which we can enjoy our neighbor’s yard.
Here are the initial monochrome and color studies. Note that I included the bushy Joe Pye plant (?) in the black & white study; left it out of the color study; and then re-inserted it in the larger piece. Am glad I did – it’s now my favorite part of the painting!
B&W 3 value study. 
3 value color study.
Painting #21 – Red Tulips
We have some short native tulips in our yard that thrill us every spring. One of my recent 10″ x 8″ paintings features these beauties. . .
Red Tulips. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 10″ x 8″.
Painting #11 Yellow Lilies
For my next painting I decided to channel friend Helen Gallagher with some BIG flowers, painted from life from a bouquet a friend sent me for Mother’s Day. Haven’t ever done any large scale, straight-on flowers. I don’t think I captured the color of the shadows very well. I’m also not crazy about the composition, but it was a good experiment. I used the palette knife a fair amount, but not for everything. . . .
I painted from life rather than the photo below — which I snapped to record what I was generally looking at while painting.
Yellow Lilies. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 8×10.
Reference Photo
Painting #9 – Flag Irises from the Garden
One of my grandsons and I harvested some flag irises from the garden on Sunday to decorate our Mother’s Day table. I decided to paint those from life for my Monday painting. I didn’t like the outcome – especially the background, which was pretty awful, so I tweaked it later in the day — and then tweaked it again today!! I’m including the first and second ‘drafts’, which illustrate my changes in scale as I reworked the thing.
#9 Flag Irises. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 8″x10″.
#9 Irises from the Garden. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 8×10
Initial Composition
Hibiscus
My husband planted some red hibiscus plants in our garden. We’ve enjoyed the resulting drama all summer long. And after spending a bit of time with my stylus and ipad, we can now enjoy the drama all winter long. . . .
Red Hibiscus. Original iPad Painting. 1:1 aspect ratio. 2017.
Agapanthus
I’ve always loved the blue agapanthus. The last time we were out in Oakland visiting our son and his family, I spied this one in the street median. I snagged some of its seed pods and this image. It’s a bit rough, but I like it anyway.
Agapanthus. Original iPad Painting. 1:1 aspect ratio. 2017.
Getting Bolder with Flowers
I made this flower study during a recent workshop with Duane Keiser. He plopped the vase down on the table one hour before the session was to end and suggested we paint quickly! I was slinging and slapping that paint around like mad. I completed it in the allotted hour. Actually, it’s more accurate to say I ‘stopped’ at the end of the hour! Duane encouraged me to go for the bright blue background — which the composition had in ‘real life’. I was about to tone it down to something insipid. I’m glad I followed his advice!
Red Roses & Frilly Purple Things
A Spring Bouquet ~~ Painting Flowers
I’ve never had a ‘comfy’ relationship with painting flowers. Like to look at ’em but shudder when I think about trying to paint them. I’m going to post one of my efforts here and will post some others as the days go by.
This one says ‘spring’ to me.
Yellows & Pinks for Spring