White Mums

White Mums was an early experiment in floral painting for me. I was fascinated by the surfaces and textures and found the challenge of recreating their effects exhilarating. I have to say I was happy with the results.

DEMO NOTES:
0:04 – Pencil drawing on primed canvas
0:10 – Viridian and Yellow Ochre thinned with mineral spirits tone the canvas using brush and paper towels.
0:14 – Using a paper towel I lift the light areas from the wet tone.
0:22 – Block in darker areas and create a strong color base for further refinement later.
0:53 – Final refinement of details, edges and highlights.

Palette:
M Graham Walnut Oil Paints
Alizarin Crimson
Cadmium Red
Cadmium Yellow Deep
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Yellow Light
Cobalt Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Titanium White (quick drying)
Ivory Black
Indian Yellow

GREAT RESOURCES
These books have a treasured place in my studio.

Alla Prima II Everything I Know about Painting and More by Richard Schmid
Alla Prima, this book offers to the artist and art lover alike the wisdom and technical savvy which comes from a classical education and a lifetime of painting and teaching. Writing as an acknowledged master, Richard gracefully leads his reader through the subtleties of painting theory and technique with refreshing directness and unmatched technical authority. With an emphasis on painting from life, he writes with warm humor about the joys and trials of being an artist. He brings to life the romance of Bravura painting and examines the mysteries of color in fascinating detail.

Lessons in Classical Painting: Essential Techniques from Inside the Atelier by Juliette Aristides
Lessons in Classical Painting presents aspiring artists with the fundamental skills and tools needed to master painting in the atelier style. With more than 25 years of experience in ateliers and as an art instructor, Aristides pairs personal examples and insights with theory, assignments and demonstrations for readers, discussions of technical issues, and inspirational quotes.

The Art of Still Life by Todd M. Casey
The Art of Still Life offers a comprehensive, contemporary approach to the subject that instructs artists on the foundation basics and advanced techniques they need for successful drawing and painting. In addition to Casey’s stunning paintings, the work of over fifty past and present masters is included, so that the book is both a hardworking how-to manual and a visual treasure trove of some of the finest still life art throughout history and today.

The Art Spirit by Robert Henri
“Art when really understood is the province of every human being.” So begins The Art Spirit, the collected words, teachings, and wisdom of innovative artist and beloved teacher Robert Henri. Henri, who painted in the Realist style and was a founding member of the Ashcan School, was known for his belief in interactive nature of creativity and inspiration, and the enduring power of art.

Art and Visual Perception by Rudolf Arnhiem
Since its publication fifty years ago, this work has established itself as a classic. It casts the visual process in psychological terms and describes the creative way one’s eye organizes visual material according to specific psychological premises. In 1974 this book was revised and expanded, and since then it has continued to burnish Rudolf Arnheim’s reputation as a groundbreaking theoretician in the fields of art and psychology.

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