Saturday, February 18, 2006

Rose



My love of roses comes from my mom, who always had a rose or two on her table that was cut from the bushes she grew when she owned her own home.

After we painted our bedroom and bath a 'bisque' (looks like creamy yellow), I accented the flowers in the bedspread and shower curtain with wine deep maroon, and added a bunch of silk wine-red roses to a yellow vase I brought back from Sicily. Love the warmth of these two colors together!

I wanted desperately to sketch those roses -- full, and open and in such rich colors! But I was having a 'block' about how best to treat the petals - how to capture their waves and shadows, accurately, yet loosely. I liked the loose lines I had achieved with the outline I did of a single rose, but had the dickens of a time rendering the shadows. I did two sketches - one with the faintest of pencil shading; the other with washes of watercolor. I haven't quite achieved what I'd like to do with these, but I think I'm on the right road. I'll keep at these (just like the images of my grandchildren) ...there's something here I really want to achieve!

5 comments:

Teri said...

This is so lovely Lin. I almost like the ink sketch better but since I am addicted to color, I love the color one too. A win-win situation.

Unknown said...

nice drawing!

Anonymous said...

I like these very much, Lin. Reds are hard to do in watercolor---or at least, I think so. You'll have lots of time to try roses in a couple of months, right?

Marilyn said...

You did a magnificent job on the petals. Your colors are great as well.
Marilyn

Terri said...

Roses are not easy Lin, but you did a fine job. Yes, do keep working on them - they are such gorgeous flowers, trying to capture their perfection on paper is very addictive - and very rewarding too I might add. I'm looking forward to seeing more!!