In this chapter, we embark on a delightful journey to capture the essence of a bouquet of roses, a gift from a kind neighbor, in a painting full of joy and movement. The scene I chose to paint is inspired by the whimsical idea of a bouquet tossed into the air, capturing its beauty and spontaneity. Setting up the still life took me three hours, as I experimented with traditional arrangements before deciding on a more dynamic composition. I hung the roses on strings in my front doorway, allowing them to rotate gently in the breeze against a painted backdrop, and captured this dance with my camera. From these photos, I selected the most captivating moments to guide our painting. In this lesson, you'll learn how to use broken color and lyrical brushwork to convey the delicate hue shifts in the white roses and the magic of reflected light on petals, making them appear more lifelike. Together, we'll transform this fleeting moment into a joyful, lasting work of art.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
"Bouquet of Roses" 11 x 11" Oil on Canvas by Richard Robinson.
Step 6Painting White Flowers
Begin with Big Color Shapes
Start by focusing on the large color shapes in the white flowers. Mix alizarin, a little yellow, and white with some painting medium gel. Apply this mixture to the middle of the flower, observing where else this color might be used.
Adjust Color and Value
Once the initial color is applied, compare it to other areas. Notice if the color needs to be lighter or darker. For example, if an area looks pinker, add more red and white to the mix to adjust the hue and value.
Capture Light Effects
Observe the stained glass window effect where light passes through red petals, casting red light onto adjacent petals. The closer the petals are to this red source, the more red they appear. Capture this effect by adjusting the color intensity accordingly.
Focus on Big Shapes
Squint at your subject to simplify the complex shapes into larger, manageable forms. Concentrate on these big shapes first before moving on to finer details.
Intensify Dark Areas
Switch to a smaller brush and mix yellow ochre with a little red to darken certain areas. If the color isn't dark enough, intensify it to make those parts pop more, but avoid adding the lights just yet.
Pro tipSquint at your subject to simplify complex shapes into larger, manageable forms.
Embark on your painting journey by preparing your canvas with a coat of gesso, ensuring a smooth and absorbent surface for your colors. As you lay down the background, use warm tones and a touch of Gamsol to create a harmonious base. Remember to keep your palette clean to maintain the vibrancy of your hues, especially as you introduce broken colors like mauve to add depth and joy to your composition.
As you move to the main subject, focus on blocking in the dark reds and defining the large shapes of your flowers. Use a clean palette and precise brushwork to capture the essence of the bouquet, reserving the purest reds for highlights. When painting white flowers, observe the interplay of light and shadow, and simplify complex shapes by squinting to see the larger forms.
In the final stages, refine your painting by adding lights and subtle details, ensuring that your brushstrokes convey the natural elegance of roses. Use calligraphic strokes to suggest the delicate forms of petals and leaves, and adjust the edges to enhance the spatial relationships within your composition. By the end, your bouquet of roses should exude a sense of joy and vitality, capturing the beauty of nature in your unique style.
Points to remember
Always use gesso to prime your canvas for better paint adhesion.
Use less Gamsol in the mix to prevent it from affecting the layer underneath.
Create a joyful atmosphere by focusing on lively and expressive brushwork.
Keep your palette clean to avoid muddy colors and maintain vibrant hues.
Reserve the purest red for the highlights to maintain vibrancy in your painting.
Squint at your subject to simplify complex shapes into larger, manageable forms.
Use magenta mixed with white for a stronger, purer highlight color compared to alizarin.
Adjust edges to define spatial relationships, using crisp edges for foreground elements and soft edges for background elements.
