Slipper Orchid oil painting

Slipper Orchid painting by Marion Hedger

40x40cm (16"x16") on black gessoed box canvas

This was painted in response to the wetcanvas.com floral forum monthly challenge. I used my own reference taken at Montreal Botanical Gardens a couple of years ago. I used a blending technique where I placed the paint onto the canvas and then used a soft brush to blend that paint together. It was painted alla prima apart from the 'spots' which were added once it was fairly dryish.
Here are some Work in Progress pics

Gridding and outline drawing - no details at this stage

 Underpainting in acrylics - lights using warm colours and shadows using cool colours. This acts as a guide for the highlights and shadows

Starting on applying the oil paint

Close-up of the paint before blending

After this stage I used a soft brush to blend the paint. Sometimes adding more paint if needed. I stopped taking photos as I got so caught up in the painting process.
I used very little pure white until the final highlights, but added a small amount of yellow ochre pale and/or pink just to tint the white.
I am used to using a lot of scumbling rather than a blending technique. This was an interesting process. The blending process takes a lot longer than the application of paint and it is interesting to feel the painting come to life.

Orchid Crowd WIP - Acylic painting

Orchid Crowd by Marion Hedger

50x60 cm 20"x24"

Acylic on canvas

Here are some WIP pics for this painting
Stage 1
The colourful underpainting using warm colours for the highlights and cool colours for the shadows.

Stage 2
Making the colours look more real. A true fauvist's delight

 Stage 3
Breaking up the areas more and more. It is starting to come alive now.

After this stage there is more and more refining. Unfortunately I forgot to take photos - as so often happens I get carried away.

Dancing Fuschias Acrylic Painting

This is one of my earlier works that I realise I have not previously shared with you.

 Dancing Fuchsias by Marion Hedger

Acylic on box canvas

40x40x5cm (16"x16"x2")

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This was one of my first paintings on a black gessoed background. I cropped a larger photo to obtain the a more macro image and generally scumbled all the colours on until the depth of colour required was achieved, but first I gradually lightened the highlights with a thin scumbling of white. The darks have less layers than the light areas, especially the deeper darks. That is one of the advantages of the black background it creates some lovely darks, although I never leave the pure black showing.
This image is also available as a mousemat from Zazzle

Dancing Fuschias Mouse Mat by artbymarion
Buy a mousepad at zazzle.co.uk

Mountain wild flowers - Pen and wash

These two small postcard sized paintings were painted for the October Plant Parade challenge in the wetcanvas.com floral forum. The challenge was to choose high altitude wild flowers to paint.
Both these paintings are of flowers from the Pyrenees Mountains. Doing these brought back memories of my holiday in the Pyrenees a few years ago. It was May and the mountains were covered in all sorts of tiny wild flowers - just breathtaking. In particular, the gentian was very striking with it's brilliant blue.

Blue Gentians

Pen and wash on watercolour paper

10x15cm (4"x6")

Mountain Irises

Pen and wash on watercolour paper

10x15cm (4"x6")

White anthuriums in pastel

White antheriums in pastel

A4 size on black la carte pastel card

Another anthurium painting from photos taken at Parc Pheonix in Nice.
The unique shape of anthuriums always make them interesting to paint. I combined this with another of my favourites - painting on black. In this painting the flowers live up to their common name of 'flamingo flowers'.