Michele loves Pink Hollyhocks and so do I. One of the reasons is the name is just so cool. These stately plants were originally called Hock Leaf. A salve made from the leaves was used to reduce the swelling in horses’ hocks, the large joint on the hind leg. A special color we use occasionally, Permanent Rose, mixed with White is perfect for these flowers. Cadmium Red Light is added to some of the pink to make a few of the blossoms more of a coral color.
After the leaves are painted with warm greens, made of Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium, the dark centers of the Hollyhock flowers are added.
Tall stalks with seed pods and yellow stamens finish out the happy Hollyhocks. A few pink blossoms drift to the ground in the gentle breeze from the ocean.
The Agapanthus is an intriguing plant also known as the “Lily of the Nile”. We first saw them in California. The fluffy bunches of flowers range from a deep Blue-Purple to a soft, almost white, Lavender. The blossoms are painted first, followed by the strap-like leaves of the foliage.
Coastal Retreat 30″ x 30″ Original Oil Painting
I don’t know about you but I’m ready to walk down the steps to the beach and wiggle my toes in the soft sand. Maybe even take a refreshing dip in the surf. Who knows? Coastal Retreat is ready to add a breath of ocean breeze to my collector’s home. They’ll just have to be careful not to track sand in the courtyard when they return from the beach!
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September 20, 2011 at 7:50 PM |
You are so talented Mikki! Love the nuances of this one: the shadow of the bluff in the sand, the cool blues of the standing water on the beach, the differing colors of ocean from far to near, the sun in the middle of bunches of flowers, etc etc etc. I’ve been using the cool blue for shadows and to create the illusion of distance in my paintings like you instruct and I love the technique. Makes a unique difference in the look and feel of my paintings.