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Author: Kathy

May 3, 2011
Kathy
3 Comments

The Scent of Spring

Posted in Reference Photos

The Scent of Spring

Hi Everyone!

Most of the weekend  was spent moving one of the kids.  I spent a lot of time outside – outside carrying boxes in and out.   No time for painting but lots of time for observing the surroundings.  What struck me the most  was the smell of spring. The smell of freshly laid mulch and the heavy sweet  perfume of the spring flowering bushes. Lilacs and viburnums are the ones that were by far the strongest scents this weekend. 

My favorite by far is the Chesapeake Viburnum. I have one the yard and the perfume scent of these flowers carry across the neighborhood.

Chesapeake viburnum

Aren't  they beautiful?   My next favorite scented bush is the Lilac – a classic.

Lilac

My personal favorite lilac is the 'Madame Lemoine' white lilac. It is a showy white and very fragrant.

White Lilac

Enjoy the wonderful scents of Spring!

April 29, 2011
Kathy
3 Comments

Clearance Pansies

Posted in Reference Photos

Clearance Pansies

Two weeks ago I picked up a container of frostbitten pansies for $1 at Lowes. The flowers had been pinched off leaving just the leaves.  Pansies can handle the frost and will reflower.  I was curious what color they would be.                                                  What a treat when they bloomed – take a look:

Pansies

pansy

White pansy

I've taken lots of photos and am sketching these wonderful beauties for later paintings.  Can't wait to paint them!

April 27, 2011
Kathy
4 Comments

Behind The Easel look at Monarch and Butterfly Bush Painting

Posted in Peeking Behind the Easel

 Behind The  Easel look at  Monarch and Butterfly Bush Painting

My newest painting is finished and matted. I've painted a number of small Monarch butterfly paintings recently. They are such fun to paint.  This time I wanted to paint the monarch on the butterfly bush, with all the wing detail on display,  the way they look in the summer  when they show up in my yard.  The butterfly bushes are not in bloom here and this is where the reference photos and sketch book come into play.

I've taken a zillions photos of the butterfly bush over time. I pulled a few that  showed a single stem up close  to use for this painting. 

Butterfly bush photos

I also pulled out my sketch book that I have detailed the butterfly bush during the summer  for a larger unfinished  painting.   I've seen some artist's "rough" sketches that  are gorgeous  and look ready to matt and sell for a premium price. Mine are not…… not at all.  However, they provide the mechanics of what the flower and stem look like for me. I rough sketch each, and then detail the colors and where the colors are on the flower and how the leaves grow off the stem. These are the finer details that I can't always see in a photo.

Butterfly bush flowers and leaves

Here is the finished painting:

Monarch butterfly on butterfly bush

You can find this painting at my Etsy shop.  And that is a peek behind the easel.

April 25, 2011
Kathy
4 Comments

Gorgeous Scarlet Quince

Posted in Reference Photos

Gorgeous Scarlet Quince

 How gorgeous is this flower?

Texas Scarlet Quince

Texas Scarlet Quince

I bought three small quince bushes about 9 – 10 years ago to plant along the backyard hill.  The bunnies LOVED them!  Our yard is overrun with rabbits who normally leave most of the plants alone…..except for the quince. They could not get enough of these bushes, nibbling them right down to the ground. Somehow one managed to grow quietly when they weren't looking.  For whatever reason, this year it went wild and bloomed! It  is so loaded with flowers, the branches are sagging. I just love seeing this beauty, full of red flowers, standing out like a wonderful sore thumb in a sea of yellow and pink spring flowers. 

Texas Scarlet Quince

I can't wait to paint these flowers!

April 21, 2011
Kathy
4 Comments

Last of the Daffodils

Posted in Reference Photos

Last of the Daffodils

The late spring daffodils are in full bloom here in Pennsylvania. It looks like to me, that these are the prettiest and the most colorful daffodils.  I love seeing the bright yellow after a long winter. But my favorite daffodils are blooming now with wonderful pink, orange, yellow, and white centers, and even all white daffodils.

When I paint daffodils, I usually paint the all yellow ones or the yellow with orange centers. My favorite to paint is the yellow with orange gradated centers.  I will have to look at the pink centers and all whites for future paintings. They could make a very pretty painting.  For a black and white drawing that I am working on, I look for a photo that shows a lot of contrast between lights and shadows, rather than color. The 1st photo is the one I am using for current drawing. The drawing is finished, I'll be sure to post it here.  

White daffodil with yellow center

All white daffodils

and from the 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show :

Peachy orange center

Yellow with orange centers