Tags: floral painting - oil painting - alla prima - fine art - orange flower - 6x6 - hibiscus flower
"Hibiscus Nocturne"
6x6 inches
oil on wood panel
Another floral, this time using a square format*. Mother Nature figured out that orange and fuchsia pair up beautifully together with this variety of hibiscus. It's based on a photo I took last year in Tucson the day before I returned to CT. In mid-April, the home gardens in the desert are exploding with glorious color.
The bright color of the flower suited itself well for a darker background, which decided it needed to be a nocturne. Moonlight is filtering through some clouds up there in the corner, I think.
*Inspired by the large number of daily painters utilizing this size to paint on, I recently made up a batch (32, to be exact) of panels on a lightweight wood panel I found at our local Home Depot. Unlike the MDF boards I've been using (and still like), this light-weight plywood-composite type board doesn't flex. It is 1/4" thick, making it nice for frameless display as the edges can be painted almost like a mini gallery wrap canvas.
I used a utility knife to carefully score and cut the 12x12" panels I had cut at the hardware store into the 6x6" size. I used wood putty along the sides to give them nice, smooth edges and then used 2 coats of alkyd primer on each, hitting them with a quick sanding after they were dry. I have begun applying a clear polyurethane sealant to the back of both the MDF and these plywood panels to protect against moisture issues and improve durability.
I like the close up view of your flower and the rich colors. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHi Sonya--I've been using those Luan panels too. Gluing the drawing right to it with Mod-podge diluted with water. Good idea sealing them all around. Your Hibiscus Nocturne sure is noteworthy--very delicate.
ReplyDeleteBright and happy. I love hibiscus; they remind me of when I was a kid in Florida...catching lizards.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda - thank you so much for the follow and your comment! Very nice to have you here.
ReplyDeleteHi William - that sounds like another great use for these panels, esp. for some of these paintings I have on canvas paper. And Modge Podge works well for this, you say? I'll have to give that a try. Appreciate the comment about the hibiscus.
Thanks, Jala. Hibiscus are one of those quintessential tropical flowers that really do conjure up images of warm sun and beaches. They always remind me of Hawaii and Mexico.