"Ranunculus (Because I Love Saying Ranunculus)"
Oil on Gessoboard, 14x11"
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Sometimes, it's interesting to "peek under the hood" to see how a new painting is developed. Floral paintings especially can be full of complicated details that can force us to become overly tight and detail oriented when setting them up. My goal is to allow my flowers to appear energetic, as if a breeze is coming through the painting. To achieve this feeling, my layers underneath have to be loose and free flowing.
Here's my first wash, on the first day of painting. Using Raw Umber mixed with Gamsol, I tone the board, then go in with a brush and more Raw Umber to put in the darker areas, and I use a cotton cloth to lift the lighter sections. At this point, I can see if I like the overall composition and the flow of the painting to be.
Using my underpainting as my guide, I'm ready to go in with color. You can see that I've tried to remain true to my underpainting, matching darker color in the dark areas and light color in the sunlit parts.
Day 3, I'm continuing to add detail and finish the background color.
Day 4, it's time to add the vase, stems, and other small details to finish the painting.
It's fun for me to share my painting process with you- I hope you enjoyed seeing it!
