New Painting Started

I started this painting in natural light. While I don't remember the light changing that much, the painting was difficult. I couldn't get the delft planter to look like ceramic. The flowers kept changing into more and more beautiful forms that I wanted to repaint; and I saw way too much detail and delicacy that I was unable to recreate as fast as I usually do. What is also different in using natural light is the fact that the lights are cool and the shadows are warm. I felt like I was reading from right to left. Some say all shadows are warm but I disagree.

I absolutely adored these parrot tulips (not that you can tell, but they were spectacular and are only available for about 2-3 weeks at the end of April early May). They reminded me of Dutch still life paintings and actually lasted all week and then some, so was perfect for painting from life. Of all crazy things these flowers came from Millville NJ a town in nowhere Southern NJ I'm very familiar with due to my family roots. Millville has some well kept secrets besides the flower farm that grows these fab tulips. The other is "Wildflowers by Lori" the most amazing cake designer. If you go on-line you will see the cake make for my mothers 80th b-day (It's the obvious one with the Happy 80th B-day), everything is edible but the wire for the flowers1!! (An art form I have to learn).

But I digress. I painted the center of these flowers over several times because they were not warm enough and not "uniform" in color. I started by blocking in the darks and pretty much leaving them that way, meaning I did not go darker -- tried to hit the value just right the first time. Lights should define the form. I never made it to that stage here.

Anyway, I thought I would give you a progression of the painting so far. I can't say that I'm happy with the intensity of the color. I lost something in the salmon colored tulip and might wipe it out. I hate the plain white table cloth and plan to change it out with something more interesting. I plan to make the planter longer because I do not like where the flower is hitting the edge of the planter.