Trumpet Flowers
5x7in watercolor on acid free paper
DAY 16
These trumpet flowers are all over the place
at the moment. I love the pods.
Artist Note
I attempted several interpretations of these flowers,
and I found I had to emphasize the cool against the
warm areas to come up with an image I liked.
I have always had difficulty with a red and green
color harmony and to make this one palatable to my
eyes, I had to nudge some lavenders and blues
in there.
Do any of you have a favorite way of
handling painting red and green that you feel
comfortable in passing on?
What pretty flowers! I just painted 4 o'clock flowers and they look similar if viewed from the side. No secrets for red and green from me. Funny...I don't have too many artistic secrets. LOL
ReplyDeleteI have not heard of 4 o'clock flowers. Could they be the same. Do they have pods?
DeleteLove your blog.
Beautiful painting!I love the addition of the violet and blue. I have seen these around Rome as well and want to paint them too!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to know they are in Italy too. Will look forward to seeing your painting.
DeleteI think you did a wonderful job with these trumpet vine flowers. I have also painted them twice this month, but not up close. The painting I did Saturday of them was wiped out by 2/3 and repainted on Sunday with NO trumpet vine flowers. I had used much more orange (gone) against the green. I like you idea of turning them redder. We all have favorite and least favorite colors...I love red and...well, orange "not so much".
ReplyDeleteI love that you teach us on your blog. Sharing your expertise is immensely appreciated. You are a master.
Thanks carol, You did a great job of them too.
DeleteI understand about the orange versus a lovely red. I feel the same way.
Definitely not a master - still struggle too much for that. It seems the more I know the harder it gets.
These trumpet flowers are so beautifully painted, Julie! I love the rich colors.. the lavender colors completed this piece. I just got home from Arizona so I'm catching up on all of your lovely paintings...(the peonies are amazing)
ReplyDeleteSo pleased to read you enjoyed your trip. Your new portrait is another very special painting.
DeleteJulie, you do not need any advice. Your colors are rich but not garrish. Your work is beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that - thank you. I am enjoying what you are painting for the challenge. Your dogs are a special favorite.
DeleteJulie - those are some lovely trumpet flowers. I think you handled the reds and greens perfectly...I love the way you introduced some purples into the painting. Just beautiful friend.
ReplyDeleteHello dear friend - I enjoyed reading about your doodling experiences. Something we have in common, only yours have turned into wonderful Zentangles.
DeleteJulie, it's gorgeous and you instinctively added just the right colors.
ReplyDeleteThanks glad you like it and I think your peppers are gorgeous too.
DeleteWith your introduction of lavender and according to the colors on my screen, you have a purple, green, orange thing going. The orange leans way toward red.The greens hold it altogether......at least for me.
ReplyDeleteI think I use red and green lots but I just looked back.........not so much.
Lovely the way the flowers and pods leap off the stem in different directions. It's a keeper.
Hello dear Helen - we can both agree on red and green. You have one today with your green grasses but the red is still in there. You did a great job. I think the secret is not to have too much of either red or green.
DeleteYes the blues are a marvelous counterpoint here. I like to either go with blues to cool the red/green scheme or go with orange and pinks to harmonize with the reds. It helps me to have one dominate. Beautiful painting.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try the orange and pinks.Sounds yummy. Remembering to have one color dominate is also important .Thanks Mary.
DeleteYour sunflowers are... well...sunny!
Beautifully done, Julie!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful diagonal floral composition, Julie. I do love this.
ReplyDeleteDue to my "non fluent" English, I'm not sure I can explain clear and fully my experience with red and green in a floral watercolor painting (or generaly - in plant painting). But simply - I just like to lift warm colors through cold surrounding. For example, warm red flowers put among a cold greenery (blueish green). And vice versa. Then the communication is more clear in my opinion.
Your description is excellent and so is the technique. Thanks for sharing, Maga.
DeleteThe blues and lavenders really fit well in this piece, Julie!
ReplyDeleteI,too, think red and green is a tough combo to work with. Here is where a red toned support seems to take the edge off and harmonizes everything for me.
Good idea about the red under-painting. Thanks Dean.
DeleteLove your musician painting.
Ooops...My brain slipped a cog, Julia! I was thinking more in the lines of oil painting. Harder to tone with reds when using watercolor.... you depend on the paper for whites!
DeleteMaybe selectively underpaint just the green areas with a red tone?
I like the blues and violets in this Julie. I usually go with what Mary has said, I find it works well. Red and green is tricky!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I enjoy the Munsell wheel and use turquoise as the complement.
ReplyDeletelove your yellow bird. I love birds.
Thanks karen. I will be trying it.
ReplyDeleteYour Hersey kisses are a wonder to behold.
Julie, you are such an intuitve painter, I absolutely love this and all you're work is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThese days have been a bit 'away from the computer and more immersed in the family. My experience with watercolor is that far more than any other medium allows different solutions for the same type of problem. So in the many books that I have studied or in the few lessons I've taken live, I realized that in a world of water color and there are so many variables and at the end,now, I am orienting on what I do best with my technical possibilities. I believe that the great flexibility of watercolor combined with the difficulty of staying in transparency, it is the charm of a way to paint where every job, I seem to have to start all over again ...I love your watercolor way so rich as your oil painting!!!
ReplyDeleteA wonderful watercolor, to me it is perfect and showing no sign of difficulty :-) Love the cascade and movement of flowers and stems...and the way the flowers seem to fade into the background.
ReplyDeleteLove the very unique look of your watercolor -- love the brushwork! They have a very consistent feeling with your oil paintings -- a richly woven tapestry of color and shapes. I'd love to watch you paint them someday and learn your process -- it is so fascinating to me!
ReplyDeleteBeyond everything I love the beautifully designed patterns in your paintings.