Hello from my backyard during apple blossom season. One of the most beautiful times of year! While working on a recent apple blossom painting, I kept journal type entries each day on my thoughts and process. I thought it would be fun to bring you along on this artistic journey by sharing my journal entries over a few blog posts. So let’s begin Part One!
The video above gives you a glimpse of where I was painting and the very beginning stages of this piece. I hope the beauty of these blossoms provide a cheery note to your day!
Journal Entry Day 1: 05/24/22
Apple Blossoms burst into bloom this past week! Many trees are in various blooming stages, some in full bloom; others in partial. I adore these blossoms and am especially enamored with their pink hued buds.
Today I toted all my plein air gear down to our resident apple tree, determined to begin capturing these delicate blossoms in oil. A small linen panel was my choice of substrate. I will have to work steadily over a few days, as these delicate blooms disappear quickly, depending on the weather.
After my initial set up, I quickly toned my panel with one of my favorite colors, Terra Rosa. Because my panel is oil primed, I was able to lift the ground color back to the natural linen when sketching in the petals with a brush. It’s always fun watching the linen spaces appear in the shape of petals when I use this method to sketch. Dipping my brush into paint thinner, while constantly wiping my brush, makes this possible to achieve due to the use of an oil primed panel.
Here you can see my toned panel, as well as the bottom blossom, that was created by the method mentioned above. The top blossom received the same treatment, but here I began adding oil paint.
Once I had a couple of blossoms sketched, I began painting as the light was shifting and the blossoms would soon be in complete shadow. After the light shifted, I concluded my session with one blossom painted and a second one mapped out.
The most enjoyable part about working outside is the full sensory experience. Large bumble bees buzzed about as they industriously collected nectar. Local hummingbirds whirred amongst the abundant blooms. A haven for sure, both for human and nature’s creatures.
I would love to hear what spring blooms are your favorites! Let me know in the comments below! xx
Stay tuned for Part Two: Coming soon!
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