Ticoglossum (Costa Rican Orchids part one)

The first of the Acrylic paintings on the way soon to Costa Rica. I spent four days painting this acrylic on canvas. The Ticoglossum Flowers were white with violet edges to the flowers. The display was on a glass table with various pots and plants at the back of it.Its an impression of the photo. I quite like it too.
As I was framing it I banged my head and started to bleed.The bottom right hand corner has my smeared blood over it too now.
I framed it here to see what it would look like.I think there may be a few more Orchid pictures yet to be painted.

Violin

The only painting not blogged on here is my Violin. I did a quick sketch and tried painting it. The postcard Canvas has started to curl on the wall. I need to flatten the painting soon!
Better late than never...

Cats Cat With a Twist

The Cat that hangs on Catrionas mobile phone. It is metallic with green emerald eyes and an emerald studded collar. I painted that and for inspiration I remembered the Parisien poster from 1896.
Tournee du Chat Noir.I saw this first as a print on the banks of the river Seine. It was a popular Paris night club frequented by the rich and famous, both Parisiens and foreigners. Prochainement means coming soon or shortly.
I combined the two images, Catrionas mobile kitty, and the Art poster. Not too bad I think.My first painting in a few months. There is another underway, via Costa Rica!

Rosa Canina

The common Dog rose.It grows across Europe in hedgerows, scrub, and woods.

It flowers between June and July, and makes rose hips untill the Autumn.

I love the pink petals with the white, and yellow styles and lime green centre.

I quickly painted this over two hours from a photo and a quick sketch drawing.

I like to make paintings have a feel of the flower, the essence, not always a biologically correct drawing.Thats why i have a camera and a garden blog.

The painting captures the moment I think quiter well :)

The Orchid Thief

I have to thank Susan Orleans for this painting.I read her non fiction book the Orchid thief and have been hooked ever since. The hospital orchid painted and shown in an earlier post started my research.
The Orchid thief made me truly mad for Orchids.I have a small collection of three species at the moment.
In her book Susan Orleans spends two years in Florida following around John Laroche and coming into contact with Orchidmania.The growers, the nursery owners, the collectors, the orchid shows, and the interesting history of Orchids.
In the Fakahatchee swamp grows one hundred and fifty Ghost Orchids, with no leaves, and growing hidden on tree's and rotting stumps.The white flower mysteriously appears seemingly hanging in mid air.
The book needed pictures, but afterwards I googled for one to paint.This is a famous shot i guess the white frog flower dangling in front of the tree stump.White petals with lime green edging.The chlorophyl filled roots cover the tree stump, working with the fungus present.
Thats why they cannot be grown successfully outside of the swamp.The conditions are too specific, but that also makes them rarer.Laroche wanted to be the first to grow Ghost Orchids outside the swamp, it would have made him rich.
I have painted it with Acrylics,I did not have enough black paint so the darkness is a mixture of prussian blue and brown.It contrasts with the ghostly flower hanging in the air!

Bee Orchid

The Bee orchid. The most widespread of several bumble bee like flowers.It flowers from june to july and grows in much of europe and southern britain and ireland.It likes chalk rich soils.
I painted it from a google photo, acrylic paint on Canvas.

Flowers pots on back steps

An acrylic painting I did for Sonia, from a photograph she sent me of her flowering pots on her back steps. After an initial sketch I redrew it on the canvas, and then worked from the photo which was on my computer screen for hours.
I kept comparing the photo to my painting, working out what to paint baldly, and what to paint with muted colours with washes.
Sonia liked it.I loved this painting.It took about three days,and i am proud of this one.The contrast between the concrete steps, dark red bricks, the blue railings, and the colour of the flowers blends it together.Job done!
It is in Sonias now, awaiting to be hung.I framed the painting for her, so it was wall ready to hang up.

African lions

My first ever paint by numbers, done a few years ago, but brought from Castleford after the seperation.The lion king, his lioness, and some lion cubs.This is a classical image of the African plains with other beasts drinking at a waterhole. The mountain is Kilimanjaro inspired I think.

Rocking Horse

This was my second attempt at Acrylic paints after buying them.The first was a stella artois bottle lol. I had bought an ornament from Scope charity shop.A traditional rocking horse but decorated for Xmas.
I copied the outline, then made my rocking horse up, with dark hair, bristley manes, and blue/red trimmed saddle and harness.
I have drawn some Carousel horse but they will be a future painting.I love horses, and wooden carved things.

Venice Scene

My second paint by numbers picture.Venitian Gondolas moored in a bay, overlooked by an island. The colours are brilliant, and showed my how good Acrylic paints can be.They are perfect introductions to painting, the physical act of using a brush, the skill of mixing colours as specified on the box, and how pictures work overall. The composition, and layout are already designed for you.

Under African Skys

A small group of African elephants find some shelter under a lone tree in the African midday heat.

I googled elephant images to find the subject matter.It then took me four days to paint it slowly.

It is now with Sallyanne in Castleford as thats her fav animals.

I spent hours looking at it.It works but i dont know why.I guess you just enjoy the ones that work, and learn from the ones that dont.

The Orchid

This again was taken from a photo.The first time i had ever seen an orchid as a flower present in the hospital.I asked the lady if i could photograph it, and that it would make the garden blog.Little did i know how orchid madness grips you.

I have done google research, bought two books, and now have three orchid bulbs growing.

It was done in Acrylic paint, trying to capture the beauty of the pink flowers with the magical yellow centres.The white roots are visible on top of the bark medium. The green leaves were fat and waxy.I loved the tendrils gripping the canes and rising upwards to the beautiful flowers.

I want to paint more Orchids, but would like them from still life.