I have been SO productive today - finishing three paintings for an upcoming project! Of all I have painted so far in this theme, this is my favorite! For a change of pace, I mounted canvas on a hard surface - and started on the white gessoed surface. Normally, I do not like starting on white, nor do I like painting on the toothy texture of canvas, but today - it worked marvelously! The more of these I paint, the more my brush automatically strokes out the petals, and it truly does get easier with each one. I have not painted many roses or peonies in such a zoomed in format - and I am finding a methodical rhythm to the petals. After sketching them out, I mark the lights with a stroke, and the deepest darks with a stroke. Then I work from the center of the flower out, building each petal by stroking up from the dark shadow and then down from the upper highlight. When all petals are in, I brush on a top highlight, barely touching the surface of the petal - so as not to disturb the paint underneath. I work a little of this color into the background for good color harmony, but not enough to pull your eyes away from the main focus - those beautiful blooms! This one makes painting number 792 in 792 days - and March has roared in like a lion with a blanket of fresh snow :)
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