National Rose Month: Day 19

Blue, white and pink . . . I love the combination of soft roses and a chinoiserie vase. Sometimes your brush strokes need to just suggest the pattern on the vase, keeping the pattern subtle not to overwhelm the main focal point. I painted this yesterday afternoon and here are a few progress shots.

I create a rough drawing of my composition using Cadmium Red. Next I like to lay in the background and remove parts of it with a paper towel soaked in Gamsol for a painterly effect. I tested the color of one of the petals to start my block-in.

My next step is to establish the lightest light and the darkest dark to help me judge the values. I then added some tones that I saw in the vase, keeping the detail and edges soft to create the pattern on the chinoiserie vase. I want the rose on the right to be the focal point so I create the hardest edges there.

Now I work on the rose on the left, keeping the edges softer, so it does not complete with the focal point. I tell my students, creating a focal point is a “Hey, look at me area” in your art, that you need to tell your story and direct the viewer where to look. If everything is important—then nothing is!

Roses and Chinoiserie
● Sold   (6 x 6 inches, oil on panel