ROSE - PAINTING DEMO 1

Oil Painting Lessons/Demos
Contemporary Art

ROSE DEMO 1
by Beatriz Socorro

Oil Painting - 30 x 40 cms   (Approximately 16"x12")

Before you begin....

If this is your first visit, please go to and read:

1. TULIP DEMO
2. GETTING STARTED

It doesn´t matter if you don´t have the same colors in your palette as I do. Experiment with the colors you already have and you might come up with something even nicer.

STEP 1

I have noticed that some artists here in Ajijic, as well as Mikki Senkarik, first add a coat of acrylic paint to their canvas.

Acrylic paint was invented around the 1950´s and hasn´t passed the test of time as oil paints have. We know that oil paints can last over 500 years. We know that acrylics, so far, have lasted for about 60 years. Well, we won´t be around five hundred years from now and I think sixty years is acceptable.

So, I decided to try it and went to the store. I bought a gallon of interior, semi-gloss, white, acrylic paint and covered the canvas with one coat.

I wanted the surface to be smooth without any texture other than that of the canvas. To accomplish this use a large brush and apply the paint with long, horizontal strokes until the entire surface is covered. Then, without adding any more paint go over the entire surface again, this time with long, vertical  strokes. Continue to alternate between the long, vertical strokes and long, horizontal strokes along the whole surface until you´re satisfied with the results. The strokes should be light without much pressure.

I allowed it to dry overnight.


STEP 2:

To see the photo that I am using as a model, follow this link: Free Photos Roses A3

Background: On your palette, mix different shades of:

Chrome Green + Cadmium Yellow Pale
Chrome Green + a dab of Prussian Blue

Also place on you palette some pure Chrome Green and some pure Cadmium Yellow.

Now add your medium to each different shade of color and mix well before applying them to your canvas.

For this step, I used as a medium:

3 tablespoons turpentine
3 eyedroppers damar varnish
3 eyedroppers linseed oil.

After applying the medium to your paints, with a palette knife apply the different shades of paint unto your canvas.

Notice that I first went around all the edges of the flower with a brush.

Once this is done, start spreading out your colors on the canvas with a brush. I start with the lightest color and work my way down to the darkest. Use loose, free strokes.

STEP 2 A

*****

STEP 2 B

Once the canvas is covered, continue to blend. Let your brush go freely from one area of the canvas to another. Do this until you´re satisfied with the results. Do not over-blend. You want to be able to see the different tones of colors.

STEP 2 C

NOW ALLOW TO DRY WELL BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT STEP.


STEP 3:

Flower: On your palette, mix:

Cadmium Yellow Pale + White
Cadmium Yellow Pale + White + Orange
Cadmium Yellow Pale + White + a dab of Grumbacher Red.

Use the same medium as you used for the background and mix well before applying to your canvas.

With a soft brush, apply the different colors. Pinkish colors are applied to the bottom petals.

STEP 3

STEP 4

Now softly and gently  blend the colors into each other with a clean, dry brush. When necessary wipe off on a paper towel any accumulated paint.

Some people may prefer to work first on the flower and then the background. In this case you could do both the flower and the background on the same day. That too is acceptable. In art, whatever works for you is acceptable.

STEP 4A

*****

STEP 4B

NOW ALLOW TO DRY WELL BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT STEP.


STEP 5:

Obviously, there is only one rule that is unbreakable: observe and study your subject carefully before you even start your sketch. Observe where the dark and light areas are. Continue to observe your subject carefully during the entire process.

Now, carefully study your photo or subject and find where you need darker shadows and/or highlights. Use lighter or darker tones of the same colors you have been using up to now.

Using almost white tones, add the highlights where needed and with darker tones add to the shadows where needed. This time I used as a medium:

3 tablespoons turpentine
3 eyedroppers damar varnish
4 eyedroppers linseed oil

Notice the increase in Linseed Oil.

Also note that I darkened the leaves. I want them to blend into the background and not distract from the rose itself. I went over them with a glaze of Chrome Green + a touch of Prussian Blue.

STEP 5

WARNING: ALLOW TO DRY VERY WELL BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE NEXT STEP OR YOU RUN THE RISK OF RUINING YOUR PAINTING. THAT WOULD BE A BUMMER!

STEP 6: Instead of glazing the highlights and shadows, I decided to "scumble" them in.

Scumbling is a technique by which you "rub" the paint in either with a clean brush, your fingers, a piece of cloth or whatever else you might come up with.

For the highlights first mix on your palette:

1. Cadmium Yellow Pale + barely a touch of white.
2. Cadmium Yellow Pale + White + barely a touch of Grumbacher Red

You won´t be using much, so there´s no need to mix large amounts.

The pinkish mix will be applied to the lower petals.

Medium: 

3 tbs turpentine
3 eyedroppers damar varnish
5 eyedroppers linseed oil

You won´t be using that much medium at one time. I have my mediums already pre-mixed in separate containers and have them marked. This way they are ready for use.

Mix your paints and medium well on you palette before applying to the canvas.

The idea is to rub the paint in rather than applying it directly with a brush or palette knife. So how do you this?

First, with a small "round" brush add a very small dab of paint to one of the petals that you would like to highlight. Test on one spot first.

To spread the paint and rub it in, I first used the smallest "bright" brush I have. The hairs on the bright are stiff. Then I continued to rub with a small "butterfly" brush.  However, you don´t want to rub so hard that you damage the under-layer.

If you don´t have these brushes,  try first with the stiffest brush you do have or try with a cloth wrapped around your finger or even an old toothbrush.

Remember, if you´re not satisfied with the result (since the under-layer is dry) you can remove the paint with a paper towel dipped in turpentine. Don´t rub too hard, though, and remember to dry off any excess turpentine.

Once you´re satisfied with the results, add dabs of paints to all the areas you want to highlight and then scumble.

How do you know where to add the paint? Take a good, close look at your photo or model and observe where they are needed.

Whats the secret to drawing and painting?  It´s all about light and shadow...

The following photo shows only the upper petals; however, I added the dabs of paint to all the petals before I started to scumble.

You can click on the photos to enlarge.

STEP 6- Rose Demo 1

STEP 7:

For the shadows, use pure Orange mixed with the same medium you used for the highlights.

Using the same technique as in Step 6, add dabs of Orange in the areas where you want to deepen the shadows and then scumble.

Enlarge the photos so that you can get an idea as to the amount of paint applied.

STEP 7 - Oil Painting Lesson/Demo Rose 1

Notice that I also slightly highlighted the leaf using the scumbling technique.

We´re done!! Here´s the final result:

Oil Painting - 30 x 40 cms   (Approximately 16"x12")

NOTE: I definitely liked the acrylic coat on the canvas. I find that the paint flows better over the surface. What do you think?

I hope you enjoyed this demo.

God Bless!!

Beatriz Socorro