This Easter I really wanted to make art for my aunt Mic. I had been procrastinating for over a year on painting her some sunflowers. They’re her favorite floral, she has several posters framed in her home. I admit, I’ve been reticent because I wasn’t sure I could pull it off successfully. So, I got out one of my recent favorite papers, Hahanemühle’s Harmony Rough and went to work.
I am pleasantly surprised at how much I LOVE this rough paper. I haven’t tried the cold pressed or the smooth but holy COW I love this rough. Usually rough paper is just too textured for me. But when I used this paper last year to paint some warty gourds I fell in blissful love with it’s pebbled texture. Read all about HOW I painted these boys HERE.
Everyone has fears about making art. For me, some subjects like the warts above and some flowers seem just too complicated. I also don’t have confidence in portraiture or landscapes. With the sunflowers, not only do they have soooo many petals but their huge dark centers can seem daunting. HOW do I successfully paint those without leaving a huge black blob in the middle of the painting?? What I’ve learned over the past year is to “see” a photograph or still life in my own style. Don’t be so stuck in reality.
How I Painted The Sunflowers:
Yes, that center is mostly BLACK. A bunch of black sunflower seeds that if I took the time to draw would still look like a big black blob. Instead, I thought of how rounded the center was, curving off to the petals. That would mean that the center would technically be lighter where the light hit it the hardest, the places curving away into the petals would be shadowed. My eye just can’t detect the difference between black and shadowed black!
I decided to paint the middle in browns and just use my imagination with making it look dimensional. The centers were started with waterproof black pens (my Zebra technical pens) to give dotted details before painting began. I darkened the edges until I was using a black mixture. Then onto the petals.
Here I found that I wanted to be much more splashy than usual. I didn’t want to do a technical painting but instead start allowing my own artist out to play. The petals, at first, were wholly frustrating. I couldn’t get them to look like they were three dimensional. They needed to look like they were coming OUT at you.
To achieve dimension, I had to go much darker and oranger than I had anticipated. My frustration lasted for at least half of this piece. It wasn’t comfortable but it was worth the struggle. Grrr, frustration is the hardest thing to deal with when paintings don’t go your way.
Dealing With Wayward Paintings
At these times I try to calm down and decide what the hell, if this isn’t gonna work, if I can’t pull it off then I need to at least LEARN from my experience. And that means keep painting. I have one rule. I don’t stop until a painting is done. I’m a perfectionist and in the beginning of my learning it really hampered me. Like Danny Gregory talks about, a monkey on my back.
When I took a Sketchbook Skool course with Tommy Kane I learned a great way to concur that monkey. Tommy always finishes his work, no matter whether he makes a mistake or not. I realized the perfection could be found in finishing. Later I realized that I could also learn from my mistakes. If a painting isn’t working, pushing through lets me learn to be bolder. I lean into discomfort and push through until the end. Even if the painting never stops being in it’s ugly teenager stage, I can still learn. That’s a very good thing.
My Rules for Painting
Harmony & Other Hahnemühle Papers:
If you’d like to purchase Harmony paper, use my Where To Buy page or the links to Amazon below.
I do appreciate your use of my Amazon links, I get a small payment which helps to keep this blog running. In the next month I’ll be reviewing Harmony paper but until then here are its stats.
- 140lb/300gsm watercolor paper
- Alpha-cellulose based
- Natural white, surface sized
- Comes in Hot Pressed, Cold Pressed and Rough
- Harmony is also the only brand that comes in spiral pads in all three finishes. So if you want rough watercolor paper in a spiral pad, this is your paper!
Susan C
I bet your Aunt loved those sunflowers!
Louise
Great tips Jenn! One I am past what I call the zombie stage, I usually breathe a sigh of relief. The zombie stage occurs in the very early part of portraits whether they be pet or people. But recently, I have painted several abstract florals, and I learned that even these paintings have that ugly stage too, and this is the point where, yes, it is so easy to give up. But we must not! Thanks for reminding us that the process is important and to embrace our mistakes as part of the learning that is ongoing for any artist!
sandra strait
Words to live by! Your sunflowers are absolutely amazing!
Mariam G
Jenn, your perseverance paid off – this painting is just beautiful! Thank you for sharing your process and words of wisdom. Now if I can just apply them…
Linda Kunsman
gorgeous paintings Jenn! Love those sunflowers.
Jennifer Rose
great bright sunflowers 🙂 lovely yellow
I usually cheat and just hints at flowers with that many petals lol