ABSTRACT FLORALS
My imaginational nature trek
My early efforts were mainly done in watercolor and were more realistic (you can see some of them here).
Approximately eight years ago, I discovered that I was happier painting in a more abstract and often non-representational way.
My abstract florals are purely imaginational renderings of flowers and are really fun to paint!
Lately I have been starting with a background I have painted, on which I sketch a design, negative paint around it,
and finally heighten the main image with color and texture.
I hate to waste paint, so when I have some left over, I use it to paint a variety of backgrounds/underpaintings. In 2016, I decided to do something with my stash of underpaintings and unfinished beginnings. Always yearning for spring, I thought, why not a series of florals? Although I had painted many "realistic" florals when I first returned to painting, I decided on abstracts this time around.
Here are three phases of my process in Abstract Floral I:
1) Sketch done with white pastel. on painted background.
2) Negative painting around sketched shapes.
3) Adding color and texture. And to complete the painting, I added in some leaves.
I love using this really fun approach. I may even try a simplified version of negative painting with my Open Studios visitors this year!
a peek
into
my process
