"Loosen Up! Two Techniques for Painting Flowers ."

Welcome Back to Another BobBlast!

This is another demo from my Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting Workshop - How I start painting a vase of flowers using two techniques - "Making a Mess" and "Wiping Away".

Keeping the start loose and abstract, I splatter and dribble splashes of clean colors all over a sheet of pre-gessoed watercolor paper. Prior to splashing, I covered the paper with a mid tone of a warm orange-yellow acrylic, Let dry.

Next, I decide on the overall silhouette shape of a vase holding a bouquet of loose flowers. The composition of the painting is determined by this silhouette. I load my brush with an opaque color and paint out the parts that don't look like the vase and flowers - I am basically painting the background.

Once the graphic shape has been determined, I brush in the key focal point flower, referring to my color wheel's focal point color. The next step is adding the two spice colors right next to the focal point color. 

Now I continue painting some more - moving my brush all over the surface of the painting, adding and subtracting color shapes - until the painting becomes less abstract and appears to look like a very loose interpretation of my original intentions. 

The second technique is "wiping away" also known as reductive, or negative shape painting.  In the demo you see me brush a very dark color on top of pre-gessoed watercolor paper. You can use any type of surface for this technique. 

Once the whole surface is covered with very wet, dark paint, I immediately sprinkle isopropyl alcohol all over. This creates small, white ringlets that just may look like the beginnings of flowers. This is a fun effect! Now, continuing on the overall vase shape - I wipe away the still wet dark background color to make the vase shape and body of the bouquet. 

The rest of my time, I scrape lines (with my fingers!) and maybe add color where I see fit. Remember, these are simple ways to start loose.

I suggest doing many - a series - at this stage and let dry. After all have dried, go back and add color. But don't stay on these paint sketches too long or you might kill the spontaneous feeling. Don't overpaint - I've heard, even a cowboy knows this... when the horse dies, get off.

I'll finish on a happy note - A vase of flowers is a spot of sunshine in your home. Make your painting say the same! 

Thank you for your interest, questions, comments and support!

To view more of my favorite art materials, go to my website and click on my "Studio Resource List" - you can download it as a PDF.

Thanks again for watching and telling your friends! All my BobBlasts are archived on my website and my YouTube Channel. We post new studio tips weekly that offer real content, substance and useful techniques that work for me. And they're free!  We appreciate your interest, questions, comments and support!

Here's a quick reminder about some upcoming workshops and dates. 
If interested, sign up now!

Featured Workshops :

Robert Burridge 5-Day Instructional Studio Workshop
March 26-30, 2018
Bob's Arroyo Grande, CA Studio  (Monday-Friday)
Contact Kate@RobertBurridge.com for fees and details.
Click HERE for more info. 


Contemporary Abstract Figure Painting & Collage 
May 14-18, 2018 
Sedona Arts Center,  Sedona, AZ
Contact (888) 954-4442 or (928) 282-3809
Click  HERE for more info.


Abstract Acrylic Painting & Collage
May 21-26, 2018
Hudson River Valley Art Workshop, NY
Contact Kim LaPolla (518) 966-5219 or (888) 665-0044
PO Box 659, Greenville, NY 12083 
Click  HERE for more info.


Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
June 11-16, 2018
Dillman's Arts Workshop Retreat, Lac du Flambeau, WI 
Contact (715) 588-3143 or vacations@dillmans.com
Click HERE for more info.


Robert Burridge Studio Mentor Workshop
Come paint with Bob in his Studio in Arroyo Grande, CA
July 5-8, 2018
(includes individual mentor time, demonstrations and personal theme development)
3.5 days Workshop/Mentor Program, limited to 7 enrollees
Contact Kate@RobertBurridge.com for fees and details.
Click HERE for more info.


Robert Burridge 5-Day Instructional Studio Workshop
July 11-15, 2018
Bob's Arroyo Grande, CA Studio  (Wednesday-Sunday)
Contact  Kate@RobertBurridge.com for fees and details.
Click  HERE for more info. 


Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
August 6-10, 2018
Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, CA
Contact Gina Hurst-Roach, registrar (707) 937-5818
or register@mendocinoartcenter.org
Click HERE for more info.


View Bob's 2018 Workshop Schedule, click here. 
...Check out his 2018 Studio Workshops!  click here.

Hope you have enjoyed these short, weekly blasts! Sign up on my website and keep watching. There are lots of them! 

Click  HERE  to view  BobBlast Issue 194
"Loosen Up! Two Techniques for Painting Flowers."

Loosen Up Techniques for Flowers

Love, Peace & Happiness,
Robert Burridge
www.RobertBurridge.com

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