Friday, February 27, 2015

Blush of Red

Blush of Red
Oil on panel, 12x18
purchase here
Today, I am working on a special project!  I will be painting two special pieces for a new home, and I am doing a few paintings to scale - which will be large.  One will be 4 ft by 6ft, and the companion piece will be 2 ft by 3 ft.  So, with color swatches from the designer and a clipping of a style of work - I start first with sketches.  The gears start turning immediately, with different images coming to mind - and these are what I want to put down in oils.  Once I have worked out the initial paintings, I will have several choices to choose from, all in the same theme.  Peonies may just be my favorite flower, and I have many of them int he yard.  From white to pink, to deep red - they smell as glorious as they look.  With their many, many petals, they are rather complicated to get down in paint!  I start with a sketch on wood, then fill in with my lights and darks, next working to the mid-tones.  The background is a blend of some neutrals, white, and grey - pulling in some of the colors on the swatches, and some blue to cool off all the warm shades.  There is quite a bit of palette knife work for texture and to add more interest throughout.  We are expecting some accumulating snow this weekend - so perhaps I will get some quality painting in while I am home-bound!  This painting makes 790 in 790 days.  I am almost to the big 800 number!!  I never thought I'd be here just over two years ago :)

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