White Roses

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I decided to try for my current most challenging goal - an oil painting with lots of soft and active edges.

This lovely photo was from a previous flowers class. Students learn how to set up both small and larger arrangements, and how to work with lighting for the best effect. Plus I demonstrate and teach, in watercolour, oil and acrylic, a large variety of techniques for painting flowers.

Next flowers class starts April 10, beginners through advanced students welcome, info here:

Art Classes with Cheryl O

Quick sketch with 4B pencil on prestretched canvas and I was off and running.

Once the dark brown was on, I decided that the shape was too large. You can see where a damp brush removed some of the brown oil paint. Gotta love water mixable oils!

After the whites were established, I began inserting shadows. Some are a neutral gray made with ultra blue plus burnt sienna, and some are a grayed phthalo blue - both with various amounts of white.

Quickly roughed in the lovely bowl - squinting and thinking "main shapes only". Decided to completely get rid of the dark brown. This time I simply went over top with phthalo blue and let the brown stir in.

I got out the palette knife and put thicker layers on both the whites and the shadow areas. My instinct was saying that I needed more paint on the surface in order to take the final step which involved the edges challenge.

Deep breath, clean square brush in hand, and boldly went where I had never gone before!

Here is the finished painting... What do you think of the end result? I'm excited about it and eager to try this on a larger painting.