Finished. My Dad's Holly Hocks.
While working on this I broke out a tube of paint that was
given to me. One I would never have bought.
it is called Indian Red, and it is the color of dirt, or
rust. A very earthy pigment. And strong!!!!
It gets everywhere, like Prussian blue.
While I was not thrilled with it, it does tone things
very well, Adding a tiny bit ( and I mean tiny, it is very strong!) it toned
down the tube green in the stem to a more natural color.
I also added it to shade the strong red pigments used to
create the pinks for shading and shaping. Like it much better than any other
pigment.
While I think this is successful, I am not sure I am all
together happy with the rather strong background blue. It was an experiment,
but I think for myself, I would prefer a more natural, skyish blue.
So often we think of backgrounds as an after thought, so I
was trying to see how to ramp it up. Now, I did not want that smooth, glass
finish you sometimes see, but was trying for something more bold. I don’t think
bold is me, thought. Although this painting does work, the really strong
background demanded a stronger hand with what to me are rather delicate
flowers. But it did not work with the intense background of the cobalt blue
background. Actually, I would like them better in a natural setting.
I might do this one over, with a more natural sky and more
delicate shading for the blooms. I will use the Indian Red, though.
