Tell me every flower that
your secret garden grows,
it’s all about the sweet carnation,
lily, lily, rose.
lily, lily, rose poem, #605 verse:20 Jo Forrest.
Original photo for the painting.
I’ve been watching a series on the Knowledge Network about the Tate Gallery Walks, with Gus Casely-Hayford. I saw the program about John Singer Sargent twice. After the second time, I wrote the poem ‘lily, lily, rose’. I have to do a painting to go with it, and this is one of the photographs I like of the lilies in my garden. I’ll probably buy some white ones, and some roses and carnations, all white, to do another photograph to work from. That’s a few projects from now though. I have a few other things I want to do first.
Tinted gesso background. Layer one of the flowers. I’m putting the paint on in a thick layer, instead of my usual 3 thin layers, (or more). I’m not being too fussy about it. I like it, and it’s quicker. The background is going to be all dark green leaves on a darker green background, like the few off to the right. That’s going to take some time.
Close-up of the background leaves. Lots more to do.
Full view of the leaves. I’m only going to do one word for the text, instead of the whole verse.
More work on the background. This is going to take a long time. Up ‘til 3 again…
Working on the background first. It’s more fun than I thought it was going to be, but it’s taking a long time.
Still have the leaves to do. It’s comin’ along.
The finished painting. Varnished and signed.
Started the next day lily painting. I think it’s going to be a good one.
A bit more of the background done. I like the high contrast, and the light.
I did some more work on the background. I’m really looking forward to seeing it finished.
Layer one, all the leaves done.
Working on the petals now. It’s coming into focus.
Almost finished. Needs a bit more work here and there. I like it. It took way longer than the other one.