A Medley of Color

This commission is a Christmas gift for John’s other son and his wife. As before the plan is drawn up on the canvas with a brush dipped in a thin oil wash of Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson + Liquin.

After the walls are painted I begin blocking in the Bougainvillea. The mass of flower color is painted first with various mixes of Permanent Rose + White. Then the greens of the foliage are worked around the pink areas, helping to give shape to the flowers. Or actually ‘bracts’ as the brightly colored leaves of Bougainvilleas are called. The flowers are tiny and white, not even visible from this distance.

The shadow of the red door is painted with a mixture of Magenta + Cadmium Red Deep while the sunny portion is pure Cadmium Red Light. The edges of the boards are then highlighted.

The curved perspective lines on the entry pathway are a challenge to draw. A fine liner brush dipped in a mix of MUD (Alizarin Crimson + Ultramarine Blue) + Liquin is used to etch the fine lines into the wet paint of the floor.

A blue-green made of Pthalo Blue + Pthalo Green + White is used for the ceramic container. The mass of sunflowers is painted with various mixes of Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Deep. Cadmium Yellow Deep + Lemon Yellow will be used for the petals touched by the sun. Some of the darker color from the container is worked into the foliage to help give coolness in the shadows.

Pierce and Allison were married on January 31, 2007. So I’ve decided to make a tile with lovebirds to commemorate their special date. Fine guidelines are drawn to help me get the calligraphy straight. You can see this more clearly if you will enlarge the picture, just click on the image.

The tile is now done, you can see I’ve painted the guidelines out. Don’t you think it’s cool how the birds touching their beaks form a heart?

White Matilija Poppies line the path to the door. The shadow areas of the blossoms are blocked in with several different shades of blue, lavender and aqua.

A Medley of Color     10″ x 10″     Original Oil Painting

Pure White highlights the crepe-paper like petals of the Poppies dancing in the gentle breeze. The white flowers look so fresh next to the red door. This garden is ready to bring A Medley of Color to its new home with Pierce and Allison. I’ve enjoyed having you follow along. Hope you have an absolutely wonderful day. Hugs,