Ginger Jar Mums

 

Ginger Jar Mums  oil 8x8  

Purchase info here.

These mums came with the house.  All my pots of mums that come from the grocery store end up in a hidden corner of my backyard where they grow and bloom over and over again.  When we bought our house the previous "lady of the house" (boy, that's an old term!), planted her mums there also, so I have a nice variety.  The easiest flower to paint is a daisy type in my opinion.  They typically have a large circular center with one or two rows of petals coming out.  Sunflowers qualify also.  This type of flower can be painted simply which gives it a fresh, not overworked look.  I paint the center first, then the petals in shadow, followed by the petals in the light.  When the stems, leaves and vase are in I "cut in" around the flowers with the background color, This allows for some soft edges and irregularity of petal shape and placement.  Easy peasy!  And fresh.  

I have two spots open in my May 22-23 Workshop.  Email for more info: karenwernerart@gmail.com

Ginger Jar & Stuff

oil 12x16 inches magnify/purchase Here's a larger painting I finished recently. Lately I enjoy a set up that includes a variety of objects. A lot of what happens when setting up still life for me is intuitive, but I think what usually results in a good one is the right combination of color, shapes and texture. This is one of those paintings that is better in person. The camera doesn't get the subtle color shifts, and there is some glare in the background darks.