The almost upright bouquet
Posted: March 4, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized 28 CommentsI forgot some tulips in my dining room for most of last week. During that time they yellowed, they shrivelled and they curled, but surprisingly they mostly didn’t flop over. And since a little bit of decay is more interesting than perfection, I painted them today.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
They obviously were just waiting for the master’s touch!!! Lovely and cheerful reminder that spring is just around the corner (as the little tulip in the bottom right seems to be saying!)
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It’s so cold here this week, which makes it feel like there is just more cold is around the corner but I can see there is rain in the forecast so I thin owe have turned the corner.
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I think flowers that droop a bit often add more character to the arrangement…sometimes parts that shrivel up too. Glad they stayed pretty much upright for you. Lovely!!!
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That is so true Joan. Thanks!
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I love the way you break images down into shapes or blocks of color and value paint those back together and create the whole without getting tight.
Holly
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Thanks for thinking about that Holly. This was actually a difficult composition because of the big mass of pale green in the middle and all the little dark bits at the edge of the page. I tried to break up the middle shape with lots of subtle value and colour changes.
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And you succeeded in creating a lively and interesting composition. Thanks for giving me the additional insight into how your work was done.
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Which colors did you use? It’s fantastic.
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thanks Sue. This is mostly Cerulean Blue, Quinacridone Rose, Sap Green and Hansa Yellow Medium. I don’t like Sap Green on it’s own so I usually mix in some yellow or blue to tone it down.
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Shari, do you know the florist’s secret for keeping tulips upright? Put a copper penny in the bottom of the vase…works like magic.
Beautiful painting, of course 🙂
S
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Thanks for sharing that great tip Stephanie! I’m wondering if I put a penny in each shoe if that might help me stopping over as I get older…LOL!
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Thanks Stephanie. I didn’t know that trick. I do know that you are not supposed to put too much water in the vase. But I guess nothing helps if you completely forget the vase in a darkened room…
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If the shoe trick works let me know. I’ll start doing it immediately!
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This is so beautiful and so very well done!
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thanks Andrea!
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Beautiful! The one facing downwards is genius I think!
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Thanks so much for writing!
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They are beautuful!
I have bought 2 bouquets..one a few weeks ago..pink..and these yellow ones..I lie tulips in big bowls or shorter vases like you have there..mush more pesonality than rigid and upright..I want them graceful:)
Lovely Shari!
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I agree Monique. I found this vase on sale at Winners and thought it would be perfect for floppy tulips.
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Beautiful! I hope you do more florals. Like the previous comment mentioned, I could learn a lot from how you do values.
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When I have time Laura, I will try to do a step-by-step post, but it is hard to do during the school year.
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PS the best way to keep tulips longer is to change the water..my bowl is so big I have to ladle out most and refill:) Worth it..forget about the plant food;)
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Good tip!
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Gosh it’s me again!
I keep coming back to look at your tulips:)♥Seeing how you did the background..the water..stems..:)
No leaves under water either for long perservation..sorry to sound like this..just want your pleasures to last.All things I learned through the years…
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I think I knew the part about the leaves but thanks!
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Beautiful …What a welcome sight to behold on this very cold day in Northern Ontario…it was -24 this morning…your cheerful tulips are a happy reminder that Spring is on the way…hopefully soon!
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Shari, this marvellous. I love half dead tulips – they look like silk. But your treatment of the leaves is brilliant.
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Always beautiful. I can’t say why I am especially drawn to the background, mostly the top. Maybe the colors and how you used them? Is the background wet on wet?
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