Title and Medium
The title of the painting is "Inspiration from a Yellow Rose". It is a watercolor painting on canvas and the size of it is 240x300mm (10x12 inches approx.).
Artist's Statement
The flower on the painting was actually growing in my garden, and so beautiful it looked that I wanted to keep this image forever. So, I photographed it and I used the photo as a wallpaper in my mobile phone. In fact, the image I used was only a part of the actual image, yet it emphasised the astonishing colors of May's nature. This picture was the inspiration to this painting, which was painted quickly - mainly because I was thinking that "abstraction" is a kind of freedom from detailed work.
What I'd Do Differently
- The final painting is not exactly abstract art, yet I share the photo with you since I painted it trying to follow the instructions given. Lack of technique is one problem I face, and lack of patience another, and both of them perhaps are obvious on the painting. I should try to use more tones of the yellow colors. I would like your opinion and advice.
Marion Boddy-Evans, Painting Guide, says:
This project isn't about painting pure abstracts, but abstraction. About looking anew at a familiar subject (a flower, in this instance a rose).
Recognizing your lack patience is the first step in working towards using this characteristic in your painting rather than fighting against it. For instance, you like to paint quickly. Use this speed to put down multiple layers of paint, building up rich colors through glazing. If the watercolor paint isn't drying fast enough, use a hairdryer.
Paint on the whole painting all the time, rather than one small section, to obtain the feeling that the painting is getting done. But then resist finishing too early, before your colors are deep and interesting. (Good practice in this is to try painting a color field.)
In this painting the yellows and greens could be far richer. Do this with lots of thin layers of paint; not over the whole area, but small sections where the tone varies. The brown bits from the center of the flower need to feel like they're peeping out behind some petals, not pasted on top. Focus on the tone of the petals behind this and the petals in front; variation in this creates depth. Abstraction does free you from painting detailed realism, but that doesn't mean finishing the painting in no time at all if you want it to be one that retains the viewer's attention.
