Floral Still Life #1
9x7in watercolor on acid free paper NFS
A bouquet of flowers in one of my favorite vases.
Artist Note.
Still getting comfortable with using fracturing in my
watercolors. This time I tried more of a full set-up
instead of the vignette format. I went a little bit larger
to make it easier. I enjoyed doing it and like parts
of this one very much and the areas I do not like I have
a good idea what I would not do again, and that is
always a victory.
In my last post I asked for advice on painting pale
colored flowers in the interior shade. Outside shade
would have been much easier because the blue sky
would have added a beautiful touch of cool shades.
I really thank those who emailed me and those who helped
in the comment area. I listened and did some (many) sketches
in watercolor using the advice suggested.
When I started
to blog I never realized how important it would become.
I am pushing myself to continue to learn, explore and grow
all because of the support and encouragement from the
community of fellow bloggers.
What a wonderful and special gift . I feel blessed.
The study below happened because of the advice from:
Hilda, Libby, Bruce, Blanche and Carol on my blog and
also more thanks to Sue, Rita, Penny, Dave and Paul
by email. They all basically said to darken the background
and have light hitting for contrast. This one does not capture
the beauty I remember with no strong light for contrast, but
it was impossible for me to achieve that so this is a sketch
that came the closest.
Now to try it in oil.
this is absolutely beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post today very much.
DeleteAdmire your still life compositions is always a feast for the eyes!
ReplyDeleteI think the fracturing with watercolors not have secrets for you, now!
Thank you, dear Julie, for your precious friendship!
Nah - I am still struggling with the watercolor. Still trying out different papers and this one could take a beating.
Deleteone has to admire my hubby because i am doing the watercolors to be with him during the weekend. He didn't count on the table being filled with not only the watercolor paraphernalia, but also this still life set-up. He ate the cherries before I had finished. Going to get some fake ones.
I love your motorbike painting Rita. fabulous!
Love how you obtained such gentleness and strength in the same painting.....with both bold strokes and soft colors. Over analyzing but such a lovely work.
ReplyDeleteThe lower work is great.......I think I just did not understand the problem as I see light hitting the flowers. So right about blogging......it opens up many doors for me.
Glad you like it. gentleness and strength - I like that very much, thanks.
Deleteyes - I could not manage to do the bottom piece the way I saw it so did it the way it was suggested. Still not right which is something i will have to try in oils.
Some great paintings going on in your park, Helen.
Wow! Your skill at water color is so unique and so joyful - I just love these!
ReplyDeletelaughing if you think they are skillful. Thanks, but it is not flowing yet and watercolor should flow Your encouragement does mean a lot though so thank you, Susan.
DeleteI enjoyed seeing your post on your trip to San Francisco and the good art you saw. I encourage readers to click on Susans name and see her blog.
This looks beautiful Julie! I think it will look great in oil, they only thing I can add if you want to capture the beauty in the shade, is to work on values within the flowers and add a little intensity in some of them. I'm sure it will look wonderful anyway!!
ReplyDeleteGood suggestion but my work is small and adding some intensity in the flowers may not be possible. i could do a close up and see if it works that way. I will try that Karen. The sketch here is not the way it actually was because no light at all went inside the tent-like structure. It only worked when I added some light and also made the contrasts darker.
ReplyDeleteJulie, I really love everything you paint...watercolor, oil, fractured or mended...I love it all. But today in particular (and don't laugh at me because I am serious) today in particular I am loving that black watering can. It's precious!
ReplyDeleteBless you for noticing the watering can. I love it too!
DeleteI have done a couple of studies of it with a close up of some of the flowers.
Love your landscapes and so pleased to know you like Andrew Wyeth - me too. And Jaime has some neat stuff too.
I love these and the way that you push yourself to learn and grow. That is pure creativity. As always, you're a great inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThat means a lot Roger - thank you. The community of support means all of us can take chances without fear of ridicule.
DeleteYour flower abstracts are plenty powerful. You push yourself too.
Very beautiful floral composition, it is so unique and so wonterful painting !!!
ReplyDeleteThe artist you show on your blog is wonderful and I had never heard of him before. Great brush strokes.
DeleteI totally agree with Roger's comment above. I'd give a lot to be able to paint as you do, Julie. Sometimes I think I should just give it up as a lost cause. I really do.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up Sherry. Your work is authentic and a lot of artists do not have that.
DeleteLove this one...stunning and gorgeous! The two front larger roses are just beautifully done! I always enjoy seeing what you are learning and love that you pass it along. I love playing with edges and learning how you are fracturing with watercolor is so fun to see. I am right with you on the learning and sharing wagon:) It's an amazing art community.
ReplyDeleteThe front rose in particular is supposed to be where the eye goes to before wandering around. With oil I could have had an easier time fracturing it but i am finding fracturing in watercolor to be different even though the premise is the same.
DeleteLove your boats...and the way you made the colors glow.
This is an exquisite floral piece, Julie. I honestly tend to avoid floral still lifes because so many look alike, but yours just has a uniqueness and a creativity that I find very appealing and unique. What does fracturing mean? I'd like to know more about that. I also found the concept of 'interior' colors interesting, I hadn't heard that type of conversation about still lifes before. Maybe I just didn't understand what makes a good still life! Write more about that, please! I'll be reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks Katherine. The fracturing is a technique I use in my oil painting and I am trying to capture a similar look in my watercolors. It responds in a different way to the oils but I am getting more used to it and can tell I am going to be able to use the two different medias so a person can tell the same artist painted them. (I have an artbyte through DPW see top right side on this blog) but on my blog there are demos talking about the fracturing technique and the tool I use to do it.
DeleteThank you for such a great comment.
I gasped with pleasure when I saw the beautiful painting on your blog. blew me away!
Your floral piece is a stunner! Knocked my socks right off as I so love flowers. When I was a child on the farm, my mother had two gardens: one for vegetables and the other for flowers. My favorite was the peony bush. Do you ever paint peonies?
ReplyDeleteYou are coming along splendidly on your market series. I like this latest one as it so different from the others: soft, gentle, soothing as rain.
Thanks Carol. I love flowers too. A mass seen from the distance or a close-up. I love them all.
DeleteYour painting Snow Melt is a stunner
I think we all learn so much from each other! I LOVE this piece..
ReplyDeletethe flowers are absolutely amazing as always....My computer broke and I bought another one (which I'm working with now) however, I have no clue how to post new paintings...so I'm letting everyone know that it will be awhile .(I might buy Windows 8 for dummies.LOL
Glad you like it Hilda. Sorry about your computer. I invested in a new one in January with the Windows 8 and loved it but it died after three months and I had to mail it back to the manufacturer - darned Walmart even though they sold me a warranty they will not handle complaints on computers so watch out folks) - the manufacturer never got it and after all these months still have not got it. I went and got a refurbished one which works like a charm. I pity you. Want you to know that I must have been the only person in the world who liked the windows 8 with the swipe screen.
DeleteJulie - this is truly lovely. Pinks and blues are two of my favorite colors and you blended them so well in the flowers and vase. I am with Katherine in asking about the fracturing technique. It intrigues me. As always have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie - the fracturing is a technique I developed over time by painting every day. I started it in oils and am trying to transfer the concepts to watercolor. It is starting to come together. If you come back to read this them look at my answer to Katherine.
DeleteLove both of these paintings. I didn't realize the market was going to be in watercolor. The flowers are beautiful and it should be even easier for you in oil where you can make changes until you find the effect you want. Your watercolors are really becoming part of your fracturing style and I love that effect:)
ReplyDeleteYou are right - It wasn't supposed to be in watercolor. I am still going to do it in oil. I only paint with watercolor over the weekends now but I still had to work my problems out. I guess paint is paint. I agree - I can see the fracturing becoming more similar to my oil technique.
DeleteI love your blue shutters with the lovely shadows on them.
Beautiful and striking, Julie! I blew it up big and tried to figure out the areas you don't like but couldn't imagine what they are. To me, this painting holds together perfectly, makes me want to explore all of it over and over. I bet if you set it aside and see it fresh in a week or so, you'll wonder what it was you didn't like, too.
ReplyDeleteI Lorraine. Thanks for the great comment and I will do what you suggested.
DeleteLove your "distance series" and this last one shows you accomplished your goal.
Hi Julie, love the looseness of this painting. Something I strive to do more often, your an inspiration. Thanks so much for sharing your lovely work!
ReplyDeleteYour work is so amazing I cannot imagine you would want to get looser. thanks for the important info on your blog today about shipping artwork.
DeleteWhat an inspiration you are Julie, I'm off to play with my watercolor set and see what happens. Love both paintings.
ReplyDeleteHope you have fun playing. It is only by playing that we find the real US!
ReplyDeleteDid I tell you I adore the colors in your path painting?
I sure like how you pick a subject and work in a theme like this! Lovely paintings...both of them.
ReplyDeleteYour work is amazing Julie, watercolor or oil. I like the watercolor sketch in preparation for your painting, the composition is perfect.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely!!! I love the light in this!
ReplyDelete