Poppies on the easel for Beacon Hill

 

 

Photos of my garden inspire me year after year... I use them all the time....
Shown are three 12x12 deep profile canvasses, clamped together from behind and secured on the easel. First the canvas is painted a color. In this case, alizarin. Then the outlines of composition in cerulean go on (hard to see here, but they are just visible enough for me to remember how I want the image to work). Then the dark "punch" of the flower centers and the dark blue/black shaded areas between the greens go on. Hot smudging masses of cadmium red. Marks of green fluid stems and foliage.... some of them over the red flower. Lighter greens over darker greens. Then the sky... put on with a fully loaded brush. Hints of white in the aqua to create variation and texture. There is still a little more to do... final decisions come slowly. I try hard not to over-do. See the finished painting this Sunday at Beacon Hill and tell me what you think.