Red Roses-Final

© Ellen Blonder

The roses I used for reference are both the same dark red, but I liked leaving the one on the left lighter for contrast. Now it's done.
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Post p.s.-My friend Jeanette just commented on this post with a poem, but it's too good to be lost in the comments; I'm adding it to the post itself. 


ONE PERFECT ROSE

A single flow’r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet —
One perfect rose.

I knew the language of the floweret;
“My fragile leaves,” it said, “his heart enclose.”
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it’s always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.

~ Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), American writer of poetry and short stories  

Red Roses-Day 4

© Ellen Blonder

This is fun, but it's fun in slow motion, without the anxiety of watercolors that might dry too fast in the wrong places. The challenge is to still to get the flowers dark enough.

Red Roses-Day 3

© Ellen Blonder

I'm wearing out my pencils trying to get the reds dark enough. Once I get these tones down, it'll probably take another round to darken everything even more.

Red Roses-Day 2

© Ellen Blonder

These roses will go way darker, but sketching in highlights and shadows helps me see where I'm headed.

Red Roses-Day 1

© Ellen Blonder

My friend Jenny gave me some red roses that were so dark and velvety they were almost black. I'm going to see if I can reproduce that color and texture with colored pencil.

White Bouquet-Day 3

© Ellen Blonder

I'm going to play with a border or backgrounds for this, but otherwise, it's done. Happy summer!

Rose in Bottle-Final

© Ellen Blonder

Well, this doesn't resemble an old Dutch flower painting but I'm already in danger of overworking it and making it too muddy. I think I'm finished.

Rose in a Bottle-Day 4

© Ellen Blonder

I spent most of yesterday afternoon adding details to the rosebuds and deeper shades to the large rose. I'll need to do more of that in the next couple of days.

Rose in a Bottle-Day 3

© Ellen Blonder

I'm starting to add shading and detail to the flowers, and will still do more with the leaves. I'm not unhappy with the results so far, but it doesn't have that old flower painting look. I may need to go way darker.

Rose in a Bottle-Day 2

© Ellen Blonder

I thought I'd work around the flowers first to establish surrounding darks. I do love how the smooth wood surface allows me to paint sharp details.

Rose in a Bottle-Day 1

© Ellen Blonder

I love old Dutch flower paintings--those realistic depictions of wild bouquets against dark backgrounds. I thought I'd see how much I could imitate that style on this 8 x 10-inch board.