Lithiansus by Jan Donovan

Photo © Jan Donovan

"Lithiansus" by Jan Donovan. 26x21cm (10x8"). Acrylic on canvas.

From the Artist: I have very limited space to set up any painting and have only been painting for 18 months. Lithiansus flowers are so delicate and beautiful. I wanted to see if I could convey the beauty of the flower.

From the Painting Guide: I think you have indeed captured the beauty and delicacy of this flower, and that your choice of vase complements it. Have you seen the still life in a cupboard setup in the Artist's Studios Photo Gallery? While you would of course then have to find space for whatever had been in the cupboard before, it does mean you can quickly close the door on the setup when you're finished painting for the moment.

Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Background: Because the color variations and curls on the petals make the flower's head very busy, and because of the delicate detail on the vase, I like the background being a single color. It allows the flower to dominate and show its detail, and doesn't compete with it. A more varied background would make the composition too busy overall in my opinion.

Composition: I like the strong vertical on the right-hand side of the composition, which balances and acts as an anchor to the flower curving off to the left. Having all that negative space around the flower allows it to dominate the left-hand side of the painting. But if the right-hand side hadn't had so much going on, then the flower would feel dominated by the space.