Pink Lily by Emilia Misiura

Photo © Emilia Misiura

"Pink Lily" by Emilia Misiura. 14x10" (35x25cm). Watercolor on Arches 140 lbs paper.

From the Artist: The flower was from my daughter's bouquet which I set it on a flat table in front of me with the pink satin cloth. It was a challenge to paint pink on pink as this is the only fabric that I had handy at the time. But I took a chance and was curious to see how it would come out.

I took the photo of the flower after I'd painted; it had wilted by the time I'd finished painting.

From the Painting Guide: That pink on pink is indeed a challenge, but I think it's worked well. The pale edges to the lily leaves mean the flower doesn't disappear into the fabric, while the highlights and darker tones in the fabric create a lovely visual interaction with the flower. I found that looking at the painting initially it seemed very busy, but as my eye moved across and around taking in everything it settled on the flower.

Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: Look at the placement of the flower, how it stretches to fill the composition. How the straight and curved lines in the composition pull your eye across. Notice how the negative space in the top left-hand section of the painting pushes you eye back onto the bloom, and counters the busy-ness of the opposite section of the painting.