Pansies

Roses on fabric: Not mine :(

Fabric roses

The calla lily and a basket of daisies

I have been trying to figure out how to paint this flower - which I love - and here is someone who figured out how for me!



Plus, a lovely surprise for me to find this one today - Ros Stallcup painting daisies:

Like my roses

This guy does a pretty good demo of how I paint my roses. It's a mixture of Donna Dewberry's and a few of the other artists that I watch: first I plot in the background with my darkest shade; then I do the back petals, and curve them into the bowl; then the sides; then the bottom petals, and finally the little ones that are half-curls, that make up all the intermittent petals.



(As usual, I have no idea what he's saying, but it never matters to me. I just watch and watch, and I hope it makes sense eventually.)

Lilies and anemonies

One of my favourite artists has come out with two new videos, which I only just found out about. Better late than never, eh?

Noticed the centres, and the pollen dust?

I love it when I am reminded about one-stroke stuff. Can't wait to try this out on something!

Shabby roses

Renewable green artist paints an old French chest that she picked up at a yard sale!

Watch here make it happen:

How to: A golden rose

This isn't how I paint, but I find that if I keep watching, I always find out something I can use, and something new to learn.

Gary Jenkins paints like it is effortless. It isn't. And he has a wonderful way of narrating every stroke he adds, and every colour he dabs on. He is a pleasure to watch!

Are these tulips?

I was delighted to find a new video by Luz Angela online today. One of the first successful roses I ever painted happened after I watched her painting a rose over and over and over again.

Here she is, painting three tulips. Her paintings are very stylised, and she doesn't bother that they resemble how the flower looks in nature exactly. It is HER idea of the flower, and she depicts it with her inimitable style and flair.

Later, there's her painting her version of a lily, or a lily-like flower. I have NO IDEA what she is saying, and if I did, I doubt that I could enjoy watching her paint more.





The key to doing anything that even vaguely resembles her work, I think, is to watch her, and try to develop a style of my own. Her use of colour, how she puts in onto her brush, and the way the brush moves on the board - is almost like a dance.

Beautiful.vid

Boite à thè accelere

Scroll-work

My first love: scroll-work.

The videos below show how to do some incredible scroll-work. Looks easy. It isn't.

Most of the stuff I watch, I watch with the sound off. If you understand what's being said, good for you. But really, words simply aren't necessary. Just watch the brush do it, and then trying it yourself: that's the only way to succeed.

Tagil roses

I can watch her paint over and over and over again . . . .

Wild flowers

Amazing artist at work:

Calla lily

Poppies

White roses, pink roses

What I really want to be able to do is this. Maybe one day. . . .

And how about being invited to a party like this one:

A field of daisies

Donna Lee paints two roses

Jo Sonja 2

Varnishing techniques:

Jo Sonja 1

An expert explains her craft. It's amazing how generous she is with her knowledge, and how much this has helped me understand what to do, and how to do it.