White Rose

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas panel

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is the new work-in-progress I captured in photographs, as per Leslie's marketing challenge from yesterday. This was a painting I had started before her task assignment, but thought it would be a good candidate for the study. This is the final piece (above). I've had a particular fascination with artists Roger Akesson of late: (http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/RAkesson-1725). His style fascinates me - probably because of my background in graphic arts. There is a touch of his style in this - although I was hesitant to go too far with the value & color changes. 

This is step one - or actually, where I started to take photos of the work in progress. Using a #2 filbert brush, I started to work in the various areas of paint & color. Yes, it is called a white rose - and yes, I always see colors in white! I'm still not sure what this will become, but I am roughing in shapes of color. You can also see my background sketch on the canvas - these are indicators of the shapes that I need to form into petals.

In step two, I am working out from the one center point to continue to "grow" the flower by adding more petals. (sorry this photo is a bit darker than the others). I am still roughing in only shapes, usually with 2 different colors of paint on the brush at one time. I step back often at this stage, to check if I like the shape of the shape (does that make any sense?). I adjust things as I go and sometimes go back to an area already roughed in area to change tint, value or shape. 

Step 3 is the entire rose roughed in. I started working with different colors in some areas, adding more "darks" down deep within the petals. Long ago, I use to think I was done at this stage - that I had captured the image. Today it becomes my base for additional lines, shadows & highlights. Compare this step 3 to the final product and you will see the changes done. While the image in step 3 is all there, it seems a bit flat. Adding the lines, shadows & highlights help to make it pop & appear more 3 dimensional.