MATERIALS
• Stretched primed canvas
• Willow charcoal
• Size 2, 4 and 6 size flat ended brushes
• Turps
• Oil paints: Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean, White, Alizarin,Crimson,Lemon Yellow
• Viewfinder or cardboard cut to the shape of the canvas
STEP ONE
I don’t have a set method of painting, often just working instinctively and allowing the subject and medium to decide. In this case I set up a simple still life under the skylight in my studio and firstly drew up the basic lines of the composition in charcoal. Often I forget the charcoal and compose in a very turpsy wash. I use a viewfinder to decide on the most appealing composition.
STEP TWO
I lay down a thin turpentine undercoat.
STEP THREE
I continue this process with the vase and background table, particularly looking at variations in warm and cold tonal values.
STEP FOUR
I began painting the magnolia petals later, knowing that they will actually change during the painting process, so I would need to work even faster once I had started on them.
STEP FIVE
I adjust the colour and tones of the petals.
STEP SIX
I paint over the whole canvas in thicker, impasto paint, adjusting the colour and tonal values as I go.
FINAL STEP
Here I do adjustments to the interior of the flower and subtle changes to the overall tones. As I painted this quite quickly, in a matter of hours, I was working wet in wet, and didn’t have to worry about working on a semi dry paint surface. At this final stage it is easy to overwork the painting, taking out marks of creativity that may have been best left in. I wonder if I have done that this time?
