Search This Blog

Monday, February 21, 2011

We're Painting the Roses Red....

Confection   watercolor   8 x 5.5
sang the cards in "Alice in Wonderland".  I am singing it too...."Confection" is my response to our valentine challenge.  I guess I am somewhat satisfied with the work.  I took it as far as it would go.  Years ago while working in the greeting card industry, I painted more roses that I ever would want in a lifetime.  They are difficult, not only in their curling twisting forms, but in that deep red color which does not reflect light very well.  Actually, not at all with the overhead lighting at the art center.  Beginning painters often over-paint the rose, in an attempt to achieve that rich redness.  Permanent rose, Rose Madder and Opera Pink are all pink-oriented.  Alizarin tends toward brown.  But, once again, I dipped into it in order to achieve a darkness which the other hues could not provide.  I left a white which was gradually washed over in the final stages.

My regret with this work is its scale.  Too many things on the paper for its size.  I was using a odd-sized leftover.  Painting freely with one or two forms in the composition works.  Too many forms inhibit that freedom.

Note to myself:  on Valentine paintings, stay out of the Alizarin.  And, oh yeah, bring a bigger sheet of paper.