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
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

current exhibition, paintings from Wales, Cornwall, Leicestershire, the Cotswolds and Yorkshire

Image
My work on the wall at the Atkins Gallery, Lower Bond Street Hinckley until Saturday 3rd December Work currently on show at the Atkins Gallery in Hinckley (car park opposite, next to the museum).  There are 16 pieces of mine plus the work of 5 friends. Oils, mixed media, pastels, charcoal, ink .... and more :) And the Leicester Society of Artists exhibition is on at the museum in New Walk until 3rd December as well (I have 3 in that) Plus 4 in Glenfield Gallery, Glenfield I've been busy!
Read more

looking at non traditional composition and quiet vs busy areas in paintings

Image
Paul Klee I thought I'd look at non-traditional composition - where the rule of thirds isn't the key but the painting relies on different compositional methods. in response to an excellent series of posts on the various ways of looking at composition by Katherine (link at end). These alternative considerations or breaking of rules - but making it work - appeal to me more than too heavy a reliance on the rule of thirds. The painting above, by Paul Klee is a 'field' painting' - the composition is overall, the eye travels around enjoying the glowing colour that he creates by juxtaposing complementary colours, subtle greyed greens enhancing the oranges/reds/pinks. Most of the image is composed of the various greens, greeny browns and khakis, with accents of the warm colours. When working this way it's important that the balance is unequal and that the accent colours are placed carefully to keep the eye moving in the way the artist wants. A couple of the brighter...
Read more

paint or sketch trees: challenge

Image
Close up of tree bark, Marqueyssac, France. photo: Vivien Blackburn Another challenge Rather than another update on the seascapes I've decided to run another challenge in response to feedback from the trees post. Feedback from people said they got a lot out of the skies challenge and I'm sure you will out of this one :>) click the image on the left to link to the original post on trees and you can check all posts with the tag 'trees' here The challenge is to produce sketches of trees done from life. These can be: close ups, extreme close ups, whole tree, part of tree, distant views - whatever you want. Style: anything goes - photorealism to impressionism but with underlying observation Medium: your choice, anything goes :>) oil paints, acrylics, watercolours, mixed media, charcoal, graphite, coloured pencils, pen, oil pastels, pastels, pastel pencils ....... etc etc etc Timescale: we'll finish at the end of July and I'll post links to your blogs t...
Read more