A new W.I.P.

 This is the beginning of a new work which has been commissioned. The canvas size is 30" x 30" - a lot of paint will be required to cover the space - but I love to paint BIG!!! It is a lot of fun to paint this one as the colors are so warm.  The collector gave me a beautiful table runner to match the tones with, and when I visited her home, I got to see exactly where the painting will go, and what kind of lighting it will get. She loves earth tones, and her house is warm and inviting. Knowing those details makes it easier for me to create!

Here you can see the first steps in my process. I have toned the canvas a neutral grey so that it will actually take less time and paint to cover the canvas as I paint. The drawing is on the canvas, even though you can't see it...I have drawn it on very lightly.

The glare off the canvas makes this a terrible picture, but you can see how I am progressing around the centre of the flower with the various petals and tones of orange. Not until the background color is in will these oranges begin to "pop" off the canvas. Since the collector loves earth tones, I am going to have the background a rich, dark chocolate color.


I am hoping to complete this commission before Christmas, but definitely before the end of the year! She should have it hanging in its special spot to start off 2011. :-)

Red Velvet - a Gerbera Daisy

 "Red Velvet" is a 30" x 30" acrylic on canvas. 

I tried something different with the background which I really like. I have a dark undercoating over which I applied thin coats of Ultramarine Blue. There are places where the darkness of the undercoating layers show through, so depending on where you are viewing the painting from, the background can look lighter or darker. The layers of Ultramarine Blue really pop the red of the flower, and create a vividness that would not have been achieved without them. 

Here you can see the detail of the center of the flower. As well, you can get a sense of the layers of various reds which make this flower "sing" with brilliant color.

This view shows more of the dark background, while the next picture shows more of the Ultramarine Blue. These 2 pictures were taken on different colored walls as well, which tends to affect the background, but not the red of the Gerbera Daisy.

I have not touched up the colors in these photos in any way - so what you are seeing is the true color of the painting. (I hope your monitor shows this as beautifully as mine does.)  

 

This last picture is outside in full sunlight - still a brilliant red flower!

If you are interested in making an offer on Red Velvet, please contact me:

jogiesbrecht@gmail.com