Lilly Pastel Demo

Beginning pastel and alcohol under paintings.

The grey blotches are my granular surface gesso/punice mix added to block in the new floral group. Not only is this gesso mix a base, but it will serve as to "correct " this stage of the piece. My other choice was to start over - however I wanted to show that this type or radical surgery is possible.

The new flowers are actually pink, I am undecided as to what color they will be in the painting, so the pastel block in is red and pink, see me feeling around for some petal structure in the background - still thinking of this as a bouquet.

More mucking about and a ghost of the bottle appearing. I thought that you had done the bottle that I would set up the same challenge, it is drawn in and I am trying to integrate the bottle neck and width of the bottle into the painting, by making in wider. Not yet committed to the drawing, lots of "thought " lines still showing.

New set up, These lilies are PINK , and I am using one of my favorite multi-colored fabrics. I also felt the lilies needed needed the darkness of the green leaves as counterpoint to the very orange at the bottom.

I am color blind , and seem to refuse to make the proper color adjustment. Little by little the block in is filling out into describing the leaves, the bottle, the fabric, and bringing the lilies in focus (lighter and brighter ) if NOT in color.

I am working the ENTIRE picture. It is difficult, I know, but it is the correct strategy. You will learn how to do it - I suggest concentrating solely on the flowers and suggestion of the dark leaves as you subject matter. Here is what I am looking at, and developing:

1) The fabric (lights and darks ) - Fabric is one of my favorite things, therefore I think I over-render.

2) The flowers - Bringing them into focus, and contrast to the background.

3) The vase - Reflections abound, it is a great distraction. Ask yourself What is the SUBJECT of this painting? THE FLOWERS.

4) Flowers - Make a portrait of this group, this is your primary area of interest-given the time we have.

The Flowers are beginning to be PINK, I might have done this sooner, don't you think? I was sort of thinking that the colors under the pink, would give more variety to the color (having a limited number of pinks, and whites to choose from led to keeping the reds in evidence).

This was shot in the RAIN, so the color of the image is greyer then on the day before. This is where I am now, the orange at the bottom, and the reflections are not to my liking...too strong and not enough variety of color. I am going to work on the green leaves later and see how it looks tomorrow.