Roses

Albertine and Masquerade, oil on canvas, copyright Vivien Blackburn

The roses are out in my garden - I can't reach the beautiful Albertine roses that are just beginning to flower - as they open further down the stems I'll be able to. They climb very high on the tall fence and over the living room window. I painted them another year along with some climbing masquerade roses - they looked just like the chintzy curtain fabric in old fashioned tea shoppes.


So, I worked from an overblown rose that I could reach. I don't know what kind it is, they are pretty but not a beautiful shape.


overblown rose in coloured pencil copyright Vivien Blackburn


It was difficult to scan - I find coloured pencil on certain papers with the paper shining through are very very difficult to scan. It glows more than this but I'm not very happy with it.

I played with the sketch in photoshop and like the simplified version much better and I've been able to make the colours glow a bit more like the original. I may work from this in oils on canvas or in pastel.


overblown rose, digitally altered, copyright Vivien Blackburn

I find the computer really useful to sort out ideas for paintings - an easy way to adjust colour, try out crops and think things through before starting another work.

you can see more flowers here http://www.vivienblackburn.com/flowers.html

I haven't forgotten the canal series - or the large tree/rocks/snow - or the seascapes - I just get sidetracked easily :)


Comments

Making A Mark said…
Aha - macro flowers!

I'm lobbying hard for Georgie O'Keeffe being artist of the month next month - or at least a month for everybody choosing whosoever they please. I've been collecting stuff this afternoon - lots of interesting facts about her approach...........
6:19 pm
Robyn Sinclair said…
Your oil painting of the old roses is beautiful, Vivien. I love all your flowers, am inspired by them - unfortunately nothing is rubbing off as yet :)
5:52 pm
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