Hibiscus Update

Here's the long awaited update to the hibiscus work in progress. I spent 4 more hours on it yesterday. Putting more details and glazes on it. I'd say most of the canvas is wet. I even painted the sides. That's why the photo I took is a little off. I was standing on a chair precariously balanced between it and a table looking down at my semi-angled easel. I managed to stay upright and not fall into it he he he. Well any how this gives you an idea of what it looks like at this stage. I'm getting close to being finished. A few more days and it should be good.

The three orchids are pretty much finished. Again the canvas is wet enough that it's hard to get a good shot so I'm just waiting for when it dries and I can get a finished shot.

What am I starting next? I'm working on portraits at the moment. I'll post those in a few days once I get some more work done on them. I really enjoy doing portraits. Just studying peoples faces is a lot of fun.

Thanks for checking in.

Three White Orchids Update

As I'm typing the title I'm thinking I need to come up with a better name then that...any ideas? I've spent several more days working on this, in between letting it dry as it is oils. So here's the update. I'm close to being finished, There's more work to be done on the back ground and a few more areas that need to be glazed. I've found it's important to make a nice solid background, otherwise it's just an unfinished background, one that I'm not happy with. Soo It's the paint and wait to dry part which takes patience.

If your curious about what's going on with the hibiscus it's coming along. I hope to work on it today or tomorrow. Today would be great as we got several inches of snow yesterday and it's cloudy outside today. Perfect light for painting :) .

Update on the Hibiscuis

After giving my hand a "day off" from painting I was able to get back to the easel today....although my shoulder told me later it was too soon so I won't be working on the trio of orchids - today. Lots of blahness outside. Snow pack remains in my yard and it's grey skies outside so I mixed up a bunch of different yellows, reds and white to work the canvas with. Mind you this is just an underpainting so it's still very rough. Don't worry if you don't "get it" at this point. It's missing a lot of detail in this stage.

Where do I start?

Okay so here's the reason I've been AWOL....I finished this last week and quit my job. Yup I quit my day job and am back to painting full time.


This blue Clematis is 24 inches by 24 inches on wrapped canvas. A variety of layers of blues were used to complete this piece. I'm still thinking of a name for it. Any ideas?

Since I've got that pesky need to create I started working on a trio of white orchids.... This is the first undercoating. First I start with bright under paintings so that the color will come thru. It kinda reminds me of a watercolor. It's tempting to leave it like this. Perhaps another time I'll experiment more at this stage...but for now I'm turning it more white.



And here's another update of it looking more white :) .





Being that it's oil and I have to wait till it's dry I've started working on something a little more colorful. White's hard to work in the dead of winter...especially when we've had snow on the ground for over 2 months now. Did I mention we have a 2 1/2 month old snowman? I digress, here's my newest work in progress ...a hibiscus. It's a fancy one with all sorts of petals in the middle. Normally peachy color I decided to kick it up a few notches. Then my hand, wrist and arm started hurting. Time to rest and get back into shape.. after not painting much lately I'm out of shape!

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

I always forget how crazy things get right before the holidays. I hope you had a wonderful one. Ours was very nice. More laid back this year which is cool. Even some studio time and was able to finish the orchid....now to find a name for it. I'm up for suggestions :) .

I was also able to start a blue clematis. Ahh yes another one.... hope I'm not boring too many of you with them but I try to make them all a little different. This one is different as it's on a stretched canvas. All the other ones have been on MDF board with frames. I'm loving my new canvases btw.
Today I have just started with an under painting. The brush strokes give me guidance as to which direction to take for the next step.

Please feel free to make comments, ask questions or give a critique!
:D Thanks for looking Julie

Hi and Welcome

Well here I am..... a blogger! How about that. Welcome and thank you for visiting.

I'm currently working on a 30 x 40 inch wrapped oil painting of an orchid. Just after Thanksgiving my husband and I went to an orchid show in Midland Michigan. After taking 400+ photos of gorgeous flowers I picked a uniquely shaped one to start with. There will be more to come! I'm not sure of the kind this is.... if you know please feel free to join in :).

I started with sketches, then a more complete drawing and have been slowly building up layers. Oils take time. They can't be rushed when your doing layers or it shows.

Because working in oils takes time I've just starting sketches for a new blue clematis, it will be on a 24x24 inch wrapped canvas.


Why all this frenzy? Well I'm gearing up for art shows this summer.

I hope I'll get to work on these projects this afternoon....check back later this week.

Thanks for looking :)

Julie