Please vote: which flower/botanical should I enter in the fair?

[cjorgensen]

Hi Everyone,

Please vote and let me know which of these four paintings you think I should enter in the fair. Which do you think is the best or your favorite? The category is "Flowers / Trees" I think each one of these paintings has there merits, but I don't know which one is "best". Thanks a bunch for your help.

#1 Yellow rose (6"x8", knife).



#2. Pink Rose (6x8, knife).



#3. Double Delight Rose (6x8, knife).



#4. Bristle Cone Pine (11x14, brush and knife).



Thanks for voting everyone. And thanks to the people up posted these reference photos in the IRL.

[pandorea]

I have come across from the scratchboard forum - my love is scratchboard and botanicals. I love your pink rose. What medium did you use?

[AlaskaDan]

Bristle Cone Pine is my fav...good luck.

[geminisinger]

All are lovely, but the Bristle Cone Pine is my favorite. I love the colors you used!

[Antiqueteacher]

Carolyn, they are all wonderfully painted, but the Bristle Cone Pine is very unique! Great colors on all! Let us know how you do!!

Katherine

[ArtsyPatrice]

I also vote for the Bristle Cone Pine. It is very strong in composition, color palette, and technique. I love the yellows bouncing throughout. The transition of blues in the sky is very well done! It looks very 'California' to me - which is a good thing. I also think the subject is unique & will stand out from your competition more than the floral paintings might. Best of luck to you!

[cjorgensen]

Thank you everyone for voting, it's a big help. Last year, the WC people helped me choose which one to enter in the Landscape category, and it won a blue ribbon, plus "honorable mention" for over all best, and someone put a sticky with their phone number on the back to buy it (and they did: $200). So I really appreciate all your input.

Hi Pandorea - The pink rose was done in knife with oils. I had gone to a Susan Sarback workshop, and this is the technique she taught. I put down and under painting, and then when I put the knife on top, it sort of marbleizes. I had my husband take one of my painting knives to his shop and trim it down more so that I had a very fine tip to work with. The roses took forever to do. Susan Sarback has books out where she explains her techniques. Everything is in there.

Hi Alaska Dan, Gemini Singer, Antique Teacher and Artsy Patrice - Thank you all for voting and liking the Bristle Cone pine so much. I got the photo from the image reference library. I did the first layers with the brush, but I finished the sky, ground and details with the knife. I tried to keep the colors as bright and unmixed as possible. I had recently come back from the Susan Sarback workshop, and I was trying to do the whole thing in knife, but there were too many details. Her technique I think now works better for big shapes, like glass bottles and mountains. So I tried a little of everything on this.

Thanks again for voting and your kind comments.

[natalie barringer]

The bristle pine cone is wonderful-the contrasting yellows and blues are pleasing to eye. This should be seriously considered as your entry,it has a Maxfield Parrish feel to it. I love it. Natalie

[painterbear]

I like all of them but the pink rose got my vote because of its almost abstract quality and yet it is readily seen as a macro rose. The soft pink color is gorgeous.

My second choice would have been the bristle cone pine because of its twisted shape. (I painted the same reference in watercolor and sent it to a friend who was ill as a Get Well note. )

Sylvia

[Charlie's Mum]

I voted for #4 because it's more creative and should catch the eye when on a wall with other paintings - but I have to say I love that pink rose and would personally prefer it!

[KreativeK]

I'm a dummy and voted before seeing the images, duh! But voted for #4 as its description was different and I thought might catch the judge's eye. I was not wrong nor disappointed upon seeing such a beaut! Lots of luck at the fair!

[kennychaffin]

I'll got with the bristlecone as well. I like #2 - the rose, but hey...roses are everywhere.

Bristlecone will stand out more I think and I just like it a bit better.

On a personal note I continue to try and get some good photos (a few in my gallery) of the bristlecones that are on Mt. Evans here in CO. Need to take a trip up there (maybe this weekend) and try again...

[dougmccallum]

My favorite is #4 with #3 being my second choice. I like them all but the bristlecone pine stands out as being different as others have said. Also, I'm partial to bristlecones in that it is an old and long lived species that can grow at high altitude.

Kenny, hope you get some good photos. It has been a while since I've made it over to Mount Evans or seen any of the native bristlecones.

Dougm M

[Lea51]

I voted for the pine, because I think it stands out as different, but my personal favorite is the pink rose. And I'm amazed that you can get that fine shading with a knife!!! I can't do that to save my life!

[Paulafv]

I also voted for the pine, because it is interesting and beautiful. I also like the pink rose, but roses are probably a dime a dozen in a contest, and I prefer an interesting subject.