Marcia's Blog

I started on some of the leaves on the right so that I can see the flowers better and see where the  leaves attach to the branch. They will be defined later. Also put in the shadows for the blossom bottom left.

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I continued with first glazes of the flowers on the right.  The second photo shows you what rough paper looks like up close. When I took out another sheet of watercolor paper for this painting, I found that I had been sent a package of Saunders Waterford 'rough' paper and not the 'cold press' which is smoother. 'Hot press' is even smoother. I am actually pleased with the texture of the rough which is good because I have 7 more sheets of this 22x30" 300# paper.

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I have started the blossoms with shadows and centers. Some of the shadows are coming through the petals from behind them and I have to be careful that there are no shadows from leaves I have eliminated from the reference photo. I took a closeup photo this morning because the lighting was perfect for pictures. The yellows are the first glazes on the leaves.  Since this variety of plumeria has a pink band on one side of the petals, I may add them back in where they have faded in the photo. This will help separate petals and blossoms next to each other.

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I painted the leaves with a yellow glaze so that I could tell where they were among the flowers. The yellow has been made more intense so that you can see it better.

  

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I am going to call the next 22x30" painting 'Plumeria Splendor' for now because the flowers are more Daisy Wilcox plumerias and I am already getting my 'Daisy Wilcox' and 'Daisy Wilcox Plumerias' confused with each other.

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I completed the Sunrise Bouquet painting with an added leaf at the bottom left and added stems to flowers but forget to take a picture so that final progress photo will be added here next week.

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I have turned the branch tip toward the flowers so we can see from where the flowers originated. The tip has large and small leaves and a stalk with the flowers which grows from the middle of that branch tip. Since this painting has more of a botanical look to it, I decided that it should be anatomically correct rather than just pleasing to look at.  I just have a little more work  to do on this one. It is 22x30" which is a standard paper size.

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Back to painting today. Added two more leaves and a couple of leaf stems. I also have the branch tip where a few of the leaves start. I may cover this tip with a leaf or petal in the end. The buds in the middle are in and I am finishing up the flowers especially on the right.  I decided not to have any leaves at the bottom of the painting. I will need to darken the flower petals behind the largest plumeria so that it stands out more and that blossom on the far right is going to have to have a stem attaching it to the cluster of flowers. I am also not liking that straight line going left to right beginning with the leaf stem so will be adjusting that.

  

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April 1 -   Lihue, Veteran's Center - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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In the end, there will be about 4 or 5 leaves around this bouquet. It helped me to see where the flowers were to add the second leaf at this stage. I also worked on the veins on the first leaf. The first leaf has some reddish color on its underside which is the reflection of the bud that will be painted beneath it.

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I am working my way around the painting and have one leaf in. I may make this one more of a botanical with a white or light background. We shall see.

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I finished the dark bud at the bottom and am shaping the petals of the flowers above it.  The bud has about 4 layers of paint in different colors and also darker shadows. These buds start out with vibrant colors and gradually get lighter as they open and age.  The variety of flower colors give the inflorescence (cluster of flowers) a stunning look.

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Yellow centers went in first, followed by a light pink. Petals will be oranges, pinks and red. I love the refreshing colors in the Kaneohe Sunrise variety of plumerias.

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I have decided to do another painting of the Kaneohe Sunrise plumerias.  I painted the first one in 2012. I have most of the flower shadows in and already know that some of them will have to go darker later.

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I darkened the background areas more but am stopping at this point.  Once you find yourself fiddling around, it is best to stop. I have spoiled a lot of paintings by doing just that. They say, if you are wondering if a painting is done, it is!

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I could have gone darker with the background colors but I wanted to keep the misty look. And I could have been more photo realistic with the stems and buds but that would have meant going a darker red which would have overshadowed the blossoms so I stopped altogether.  In fact, I went in and muted the bottom of the stems to keep the eye from going down and off the page. I am going to show this at the fair on Saturday and see what kind of reaction it gets. I love painting large! 

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I have started the background slowly and will need to go darker where the buds are. I like what is happening to the backsides of the petals of the largest plumeria in the center. I picked up some of the shadow color and added it to the blossom. Also gave the petals more contour.

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It is good that I am selling originals faster than I can paint but not good if I run out or if I don't have all new plumeria paintings for the 2018 calendar.  I am still going to paint large, 22x30," but hopefully, will be finishing them sooner than in the past.

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I have added the bud structures and will refine them once I start on the background which will then determine how light, dark, or hidden the buds will be. I am excited to start with a very light, loose background today and see how that goes. 

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