30 paintings in 30 days Challenge - Mia's White Roses

Mia's White Roses

Palette knife painting

24x30 (approx 10"x12") box canvas

Contact me here about this painting

I have joined up again for another 30 paintings in 30 day challenge (will I never learn?).
This is my first one, actually painted a few days ago because I knew I wouldn't have time today because of family being around for their annual holiday.

About this painting
These roses were a present to my granddaughter from a neighbour, who has almost adopted her as a her de facto granddaughter. 10 year old Mia was thrilled and so I painted them as a reminder and keepsake. The palette knife work gives the roses a lovely 3D effect.

Close-up of the knife work

Limited Palette Study - Cascading Roses, oil painting

Roses Limited palette study

Oil on canvas panel

15x15cm (6x6inch)

Available on Daily Paintworks

I used a limited palette of alazarin crimson, ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow medium plus titanium white.

Using my painting 'Over the garden wall' as a starting point, I wanted to see if I could bring the flowers to life with only the one red. I used Jackson's titanium white instead of my normal Winsor and Newton brand and was surprised at the lovely pink obtained as sometimes pinks can be a bit dull when using alazarin crimson. I worked quickly and very loosely as I didn't want any definition, and I like the spontaneous result obtained.

Challenge Painting - Summer Romance, Pink Roses still life in oil

Summer Romance

Palette knife oil painting

15x15cm (6x6inch) on box canvas 1.5cm deep

Bid by auction on DailyPaintworks

This little painting is in response to a painting challenge on Facebook hosted by Evhe. It is always good to get together with a group of artists and compare paintings. I am always amazed at how different the paintings can be when painted from the same subject. But then again, that is what makes painting such good fun.
I have put this painting up for auction on Daily Paintworks. The auction runs for 5 days after which the painting will revert to normal price.

Over the garden wall Palette knife oil painting

Over the garden wall

Palette knife oil painting

On MDF canvas panel

18x24cm (approx 7"x10")

Available by auction on Daily Paintworks

Last month a local village held it's annual rose festival. This area is well known for growing flowers for the perfume industry (Grasse is not far away), and this village is renown for growing roses and extracting the oil.

Walking through the village, this beautiful rose was making a huge statement in someone's garden and I couldn't resist taking a few photos. I also came away with another climbing rose and several other plants for the garden.

Some close-ups of the texture achieved with the palette knife.

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

Three Roses Palette Knife Painting in Oil

Three Roses Palette Knife Painting

Oil on MDF canvas panel

15cmx15cm (6"x6") 

Available on Daily Paintworks

 This painting has a tactile impasto surface giving it a 3D look.
The edges of the panel have been painted black so it can be displayed on a plate stand. This painting would also look good in a floating frame.

About this painting
A larger painting of the rose paintings I painted in January. I wanted to see if the concept worked at a larger size. I use paint directly from the tube to achieve a luscious pure colour. For the roses I used Scarlet Lake unmixed to maintain that beautiful red, with permanent rose and alazarin crimson for the darker areas.

Some close-ups of the knife work

Flowers that don't die on St Valentine's Day

This is a fun post highlighting some of my florals that would make good Valentine's Day gifts (or hints!).

 Old Fashioned

Roses still life palette knife painting

24x30cm (approx 10x12")

Oil on canvas panel
Purchase information

Sweet Memories - Roses still life

palette knife paintings

24x30cm (approx 10x12inches)

Oil on canvas panel 
Available in my Etsy store 

Rose still life arrangement No. 2

Mini treasure Palette knife painting

Impasto oil

10x10cm (4x4inch) on box canvas
Can be hung without a frame

Available for purchase in my Etsy store

Poppy Trio Palette knife painting

20x20cm (8"x8") on box canvas
The sides of the canvas are painted black
No frame required

Available for purchase in my Etsy Store

Rose Flower Arrangement still life, No.3 and 4. Miniature treasure paintings

Mini treasure flower arrangement NO. 3 

Palette knife painting by Marion Hedger

Impasto oil

10x10cm (4x4inch) on box canvas
Can be hung without a frame
This is painting No.20 in the 30 day challenge

Available for purchase

Mini treasure flower arrangement NO. 4

Palette knife painting by Marion Hedger

Impasto oil

10x10cm (4x4inch) on box canvas
Can be hung without a frame
This is painting No.21 in the 30 day challenge

Available for purchase

I enjoyed painting these little treasure, they were fun to do and the finished paintings look good with all that textured paint. These paintings would certainly brighten up a dull corner.

Here is a collage of the Rose Flower Arrangement series together

Rose still life flower arrangement No. 1 and 2, miniature treasures

Rose still life flower arrangement No.1

Mini treasure Palette knife painting

Impasto oil

10x10cm (4x4inch) on box canvas
This is painting No.18 in the 30 day challenge

This painting is now SOLD

Rose still life arrangement No. 2

Mini treasure Palette knife painting

Impasto oil

10x10cm (4x4inch) on box canvas
Can be hung without a frame
This is painting No.19 in the 30 day challenge

Available for purchase in my Etsy store

For the last few days I have been painting florals for the 30 day challenge. These two little miniature paintings were inspired by a larger painting I did after French Impressionist Henri le Sidaner. The painting was a table still life which inclueded a vase of flowers. When I cropped the painting for some close-up shots of the knife work, the crop of the flowers caught my eye. These are the first two paintings in the series. The series will include four of these miniature treasures as I only have four of these mini canvasses.

Close-ups of the knife work
No.1

 No.2

These paintings are painted with thick impasto paint on a yellow ground. It's funny how an idea can spark off several paintings, especially when I have been procrastinating for so long about using these small canvasses. That's one of the good things about participating in a challenge like this, it makes you think outside of the box.

Sweet Memories - Roses still life palette knfie painting

Sweet Memories - Roses still life

palette knife paintings

24x30cm (approx 10x12inches)

Oil on canvas panel 
Available in my Etsy store

Another rose still life. I wanted a soft low key effect on this one. Here are some close-ups of the knife work

Old Fashioned - Roses still life

 Old Fashioned

Roses still life palette knife painting

24x30cm (approx 10x12")

Oil on canvas panel
Purchase information

I enjoyed painting my Ikebana series so much, I carried on painting a couple of still lifes featuring roses. This is the first and I will post the second tomorrow.

My aim was to pay particular attention to the lost and found edges and I'm quite pleased with the effect. Unfortunately the camera always make the edges of palette knife paintings seem sharper than they are.

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

Summer Bonanza Oil painting

This is another one of my loosening up exercises, this time base on one of Richard Schmid's work.

Summer Bonanza after Richard Schmid by Marion Hedger
Oil on canvas
41x33cm (16x13")

I started with an acrylic wash in pale blue. Then using a 1" wash brush, I brushed in some loose, random stipes using red oxide diluted with odourless mineral spirits, followed by a few loose brushstrokes of green. With a very small brush I then indicated the position of the main flowers and then went straight to using thicker paint. I tend to work all over the canvas, mixing my colours as I go and also on the canvas. The final stage was the highlights on the rose to make it pop. This was painted alla prima apart from the intial acrylic wash.

My next step is to use my own photos as the basis and see if I can keep the momentum going without getting too tight.

Rose Trio oil painting by Marion Hedger

I am on a quest to loosen up my floral oil paintings I have been scouring the internet for modern day artists that have the 'knack'. I have been studying their work and practicing my technique.


My work has gradually become looser as a natural progression, especially since I have been using oils - did I say that I love oils? - but I want to achieve that looseness that looks effortless (Haha!). I have long admired the artist Dreama Tolle Perry so decided to base this one on one of her wonderful rose paintings. This is the result

ROSE TRIO by Marion Hedger
Oil on canvas panel
41x33cm (16x13")

This is mostly alla prima, and I really enjoy this style. Initially it is quite frustrating as I wonder if I have it right and will the paint behave, but then all of a sudden it happens. I still use an underpainting of sorts and gradually build up until I find I have enough paint that it 'flows'. I am hoping that my technique will improve so that I can achieve the same result but more directly.

I'd be interested in what you think of this style.