Lenten Rose by Frances Tanner

Photo © Frances Tanner

"Lenten Rose" by Frances Tanner. 7.5x5.5" (19x14cm). Colored pencil on Arches black cover paper.

From the Artist: This project I painted both on white and black paper and decided the black is the best of the two. Many layers of color were used to make the purple cloth background. The folds were a challenge. They are arranged to guide the eye into the painting as we have been learning to do in previous projects.

The colors in the flower were a challenge and I am not completely satisfied with the picture but after many hours of work on this, I can honestly say I am a better artist now than when I began and that makes me happy. And getting it done before the flower completely fell apart also made me happy!

From the Painting Guide: I think you should indeed be very happy with this as it's beautiful! What gloriously rich colors, both in the purple fabric and the flower. The touches of green in the fabric itself on the highlights conveys a fabulous sense of texture, quite different to that of the petals.

Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Composition: This composition is deceptively simply, just a single flower on a piece of fabric. But spend a few minutes noting where the folds in the fabric are, how their position, direction, and color guide your eye into the focus of the painting. How this is augmented by the shapes of the individual petals and the way these are done. Plus, of course, the stalk leading your eye down from the top edge and the shadow from the left.

Painting on a Black Ground: Because most papers are white (except for pastel papers which come in all colors) and most canvases are primed with white, it's all too easy to always start a painting on a white ground. But working with a colored ground can be extremely effective, as here where the black helps create a rich depth to the purple cloth.