Your Vote Please! - FlowerPower

[BLUEFUZE]

Hi all,

In addition to the other projects I have on the go, I wanted to start another one. My wife keeps telling me to do flowers "that's what people like" -- and while I generally shy away from doing only what people "like," I figured I'd give it a shot just for the heck of it.

I have a large 16"x36" Ampersand Hardboard that I spent a fair bit of time prepping to a nice smooth finish, for a nice glazing surface. I don't want to waste it. I was going to use it for another still life that I also asked for input on here... but I decided I will do that one on a smaller surface, and use this one for a flower painting.

If any (or more than one), which would you want to see as a nice big oil painting?

All of these reference photos were either taken from the WC reference image library, or from the stock section over at DeviantArt.

So, without further delay, here's the pics:

1


2


3


4


5


6


7

[winecountry]

my vote is to work from a real flower:-)

[BLUEFUZE]

While I won't disagree that working from a "live" subject can be great... it's not really my thing. I'm not really an alla prima painter. I'm currently practicing my glazing skills, in the "flemish technique" as some would call it, although I don't really like to describe it as such any longer. This technique requires several sittings over a period of time.

I am much more of a photo reference kind of person, due to the time I spend on my pieces over several sessions, level of detail, and because it is more practical for my environment (kids, cats, time, etc.).

I would love to use my own photo reference (and have attempted this)... but for the sake of practice and convenience, I figured it would make more sense to open up the possibilities to a wide variety of flowers and options.

[cat1lady]

I think any of the last 3 would be very nice.
I also like #3 but probably not with a glazing technique.
The last one looks like a real opportunity for get richness of color.

[Firehorse_Australia]

As you are looking at doing a glazing technique instead of alla prima, then my vote is the last photo, as the colours can be optimised to really pop through glazing.

[*Violet*]

lovely references !! ... my vote in order of my preference is 7, 5, 3 ... and would love to see your progress in a wip ... would you consider it?

[BLUEFUZE]

Hi Violet, indeed! Pretty much anything I'm working on now, I'm doing WIP's here for them

[llawrence]

I like either the water lily or the cherry blossoms.

[laika]

#3 and possibly #7.

3 looks so tranquil. it almost looks like a painting already.

i guess #7 would have lots of possibilities as a subject for glazing.

[BLUEFUZE]

awesome feedback guys, thanks

[LauraBarber-Riley]

1 or 2 for me, the others are a bit less original- esp the orchids.

I would second the vote for working from your own photos though, or at the very least from someone else's that you have exclusive rights to use. I see SO many people churning out different versions of the same stock photos on the internet and I think it really undermines the work. Originality is important and the only way to guarantee it is to take your own refs. Your work is exquisite, and I'm sure you'll produce something incredible using the photos posted but it seems such a waste to paint something so big from such unoriginal reference material when your subject matter is so accessible!

[BLUEFUZE]

LauraBarber-Riley, you do make a good point. Given the choice between great reference that is mine, or someone else's... I would rather have my own. Not only is it more gratifying, but less potential problems down the road. Only catch is... getting images that are as good on my own.

I will give some consideration to this, and maybe do a couple of shoots to see if I can capture anything worthy

[BLUEFUZE]

I have more that I can get, or take... but here's one of my own photos thus far... how does it compare?

8


8b

[viking009]

I think 7, but just the lily on a black canvas, just a thought

[winecountry]

I like your photos best....even if you work from a photo, some live time in front of your subject can greatly inform your studio work....the great boon of using your own photo is, that is how you saw it, framed it and created emphasis...this will make your work your own creativity instead of some one else, copying a photo can be a way to learn, but later one's own eye and mind can come into it much more using your own photos, and that in the end is what is really interesting....many millions of flowers have been painted in the history of art, but no one has painted the one you will, so it deserves to be really your work...

Of course that is only my opinion