Roses

Painting Roses is a challenge!  Here's some images to help inspire you.

by contemporary artist: Renuk A Sridhar

by Vincent Van Gogh

 **************************************

search the masters and find a style that interests you. Here are two beauties:

by Henri Fantin-LaTour

it always help to do a value study first and then really look and decide where are the cool colors and where are the warm colors in both the light and the shadow.

 

Spring, you can't come soon enough!

 Fresh off the easel this week..

 

 "orange blush", 8x10 oil on wood. $235

(includes shipping)

Yellow Rose

8x10 oil on wood. $235

(includes shipping)

"Jubilation"  

8x10, oil on wood, $235

(includes shipping)

"Unfolding"

8x10, oil on wood, $235

(includes shipping)

Pay pal, VISA, personal check all accepted.  

visit my website for more works available.

https://www.cathyliontas.net

Drawing Elipses

Drawing Elipses

if you're starting to paint flowers, getting the shapes of the pots can be challenging.  Here's a few visuals I found online that should help.

 take a coffee cup or soup bowl and look at its top when you hold it at eye level. then lower it a bit and look again.  You'll notice it's shape gets wider as it drops below the horizon line.  Keep lowering it and drawing the top shape you see.

the top of the elipse should fit inside a rectangle or parallelogram.  It should be symmetrical. 

 (sketch by James Gurney)

Now set up simple cup or bowl in your studio with a strong light on it.  sketch its shape and color in the value pattern using grey scale markers or a soft pencil (6B)

Hope these tips help!

Gouache Supplies for Plein Aire Painting

 

 Gouache: the perfect paint for quick studies!

 12x12 study on matt board

Gouache is a water based  medium similar to watercolors but much more opaque.  It's possible to layer colors. Even when the paint dries, the edges can be softened by adding bit more water.  Great medium for smaller paintings and plein aire studies.

I love it especially because it's convenient to take when traveling.  I like to paint on watercolor paper.(140 lb. or heavier) or Guerilla Board (thin masonite).  It's fun to paint a layer of casein down first to tone the paper.

I found this little box really convenient for storing the wet paint and sealing it tight from air.  I spritz it with water before closing and the paint stays fresh for next time.  (got the idea from artist Lena Rivo) 
Transom air tight paint box.

No need to carry all the tubes of paint...just white paint!

 

Guerilla Box Plein Air Painter set up 9x12  This is a very sturdy (5lb.box) with storage in lid for wet panels or a pad of watercolor paper.  It has a sliding tray on which I've rested a palette and my set of gouache paints.  The deep compartments are perfect to store a plastic container of water and another with paper towels to dab off the wet brushes.

It has a universal tripod mount on the underside.

 The white plastic palette shown in the photo is super nice too and fits beautifully in my Guerilla Box 9x12.  It comes with a lid and could be used for storing more paint or watercolors.
Martin Universal Watercolor Box.

I try to have everything packed and ready to go.  With a set-up this simple I can get out and paint plein aire more often, even right from my car!   Hope this helps.  Happy painting!