Spring Tulips #3

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6x6", water mixable oil on gessobord, 3/10/2015
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Try #3 with these tulips. I've always found flowers to be an ultra-challenging subject. And I'm forcing myself to do them now because I figure if I tackle the things that give me the most trouble, it should get at my weakest spots as an artist. With flowers, it's the ultra-subtle variations of value that drive me crazy. I tend to gravitate toward things that have sharp contrast and value differences. Flowers are probably a little easier to capture if you back up a few feet and paint them more as masses, rather than the individual petals. But my painting corner doesn't really allow for backing up a few feet ;) So petals it is. I hope all this practice is honing my skills in ways I'm not even aware of!

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