Flower portraits intrigue me... The tulip lends itself well to a close-up with a huge variety of looks from delicate and unusual to the more common, garden varieties. This particular flower head shot is loosely based on a photo I took just down the street last year.I enjoy drawing and painting things that have defined shapes like this. It's easy to concentrate on the shapes rather than on "painting a tulip". Thinking about the latter can sometimes impact my ability to paint what's in front of me.
Here's and example: can you draw a tree? Of course you can! You've been able to do that since you turned three. Make a circle and then make two parallel lines down from the centre. See? You can draw a tree. The symbol for a tree anyhow. The problem with that is now you have an idea in your head and it's hard to knock it loose. Your brain keeps on telling you that a tree is that even when your eyes are giving you better information. Learning to "see" the real shapes in a subject takes time and practice. In this little painting there are many ovals, a parallelogram, a (near) triangle, and a couple of circles. When you take "tulip" out of your thinking and deal with the shapes in relationship to each other... voila! a tulip centre emerges. Fun stuff... sign up for an art class at a community college near your home, lol...
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2 comments:
Cheryl, thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you come back to visit. And now I've found your blog and your beautiful work. You are brave to use watercolors. They scare me. I'm trying to tame acrylics. :-)
I love the way you use color. And your subject matter is very interesting...I really like the tomatoes and silver cup. Great work!
I hope you are having some comfortable days. Chronic pain can make you feel so old, and I just want to think I'm young as long as I can.
Thanks Deborah, glad you enjoyed it and I'd love to have you come back for a visit... hope you are feeling well and are enjoying painting.
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