Soft Blossoms

Soft Blossoms
Originally uploaded by linfrye

Daily Practice
Journal

This 'soft study' took me two days to complete - probably because I'm so very tired from the festival preparations -- but also because, though it might look somewhat loose, it's not as spontaneous as yesterday's post. But it's a technique I wish to learn better and I think the more I practice it, the less work it will be. I was able to paint a simliar flower several months ago (http://www.flickr.com/photos/linfrye/4162908970/) but had the dickens of a time trying to remember how I did it! LOL (Don't you hate when that happens?!)

I began this by splattering paint in a way that would wind up suggesting these four-and five-petaled blooms and some light and leaves. I then DREW the leaves and flowers OVER the splatter's suggestions. From there it was finding and losing edges -- but the next step is what makes this somewhat different for me. There's a layer or two of color SHAPES OVER the negative space and parts of the leaves and flowers that winds up helping edges be lost and thus creating color shapes in themselves -- like the yellow towards the middle bottom of the painting. This helps soften the painting, makes it more impressionistic, I think -- though to me it is less spontaneous and more planned. But I do like the results.

I managed to get home yesterday for a day of rest before the festival. We're down to only a few items to be done that only the gardeners can do -- so today -- it's catch up on laundry, a few errands in town -- and a nap!

Have a great day!