6 Steps to the RA Summer Exhibition

After skipping a year (and quite some time off this blog), I've decided to return to floral paintings but with a little more edge this time. The colours I chose for this painting have been influenced by a commission I'm working on which is for a Spanish styled kitchen. In order to make sure of a colour match, I'd bought some sample wall paint. I used this emulsion colour to prime the canvas for my floral work, and its the first time I haven't started painting a design straight onto a white. I shall definitely be trying this technique again since it really adds vibrancy to the tone.

This is the acrylic painting in 6 stages. I had no real plans of what I was going to paint when I first stood in front of a 60 x 90 wall of orange, but just went with the flow. I realise paintings occasionally have to be planned, especially commissions, but its also fun to start with a blank canvas, some music, and see what emerges. :-)

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Step 1

Primavera

Being in an oil-paint mojo these days, this is my first floral using oils. Its not finished (and yes Lorna its low res) but I hope to complete it this week. Artweeks isn't that far away now and I am working on a body of oil florals to exhibit.
Its a larger version of a similar acrylic I donated for auction last year. The idea is that the background buds and foliage will be in soft focus, and the middle prominant petals will be very sharp focus. There is a lot more detail to go into the centre flower, and if I had worked this in acrylic it would have been finished by now. However, I think the vibrancy of colour you get with oil certainly lend themselves to the colours I have used here....(and green is one of my favourite).

Snapshot from the studio

After a break I have decided to go back to bold florals. The Autumn colours are particularly vibrant this year and have prompted the colours behind the latest canvas. This one is big: 30 x 24" and destined for the Arts Group exhibition next week (if I can finish it that is). Today I started it and this is just getting some paint down to get the feel and atmosphere. Much more to do yet.

Florals