Gladioli
Posted: August 21, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized 32 CommentsYou might already know how to make gladioli last a long time, but I learned something new this week. This is info straight from the vendor at the market who sells these flowers and nothing else: if you want gladioli to last a long time the trick is to use ice cubes. Change the water twice a day and each time, add some ice cubes. Cut the base of the stems once a day. Keep out of full sun. The flowers will open slowly and last all week. I bought these on Saturday and they were completely closed but this method seems to work as predicted.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Wow! Super beau! Bravo! vraiment! Beaucoup d’émotion en couleurs!
LikeLike
Oh, c’est gentil!! Merci beaucoup!
LikeLike
Beautiful!
LikeLike
thanks Denise!
LikeLike
Shari, you captured beautifully the spirit of these flowers, they are so alive and expressive! Gladioli were the favorite flower of a dear relative of mine, so this post touches my heart a bit deeper. PS Is this merchant located at the Jean Talon market?
LikeLike
HI Minerva,
Yes, I bought these at the Jean Talon market from the woman who is in the first row on the right side when you come from the parking lot. Very nice lady. And beautiful glads.
LikeLike
this is beautiful!
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! A gorgeous sketch AND cut flower tips. I have to admit, when I saw the title “gladioli” I thought “hmmm, that’s a tough flower to paint”. Once again, you have truly captured the essence of this particular bloom.
LikeLike
Thanks Alison. I thought these would be tough to paint too because they are so tall that they could be difficult compositionally. I wasn’t aiming for anything specific, just trying to keep it wet and loose, and happy to be enjoying the painting process, which I did!
LikeLike
Now I learned something new, too. Wow. These are lovely.
LikeLike
Thanks so much.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
LikeLike
the colour is amazing. its beautiful
LikeLike
Thanks.
LikeLike
Beautiful!
LikeLike
Thanks Sharon!
LikeLike
Gorgeous. Keep wanting another Craftsy class on how you paint flowers. The violet flowers and color of the background with the faint view out the window–wonderful touch.
LikeLike
Thanks Judy. I still have no plans for another Craftsy class. Still working and still no time for a big project of that scope, unfortunately.
LikeLike
It is as I said on IG..glorious:)Thanks for the tips too..
LikeLike
Thanks Monique. You grow a lot of flowers. I am surprised you didn’t already know this.
LikeLike
Hi Shari, Magnifiques glaieuls! Peux-tu donner un peu d’info sur la façon de faire que tu as suivie? J’imagine que tu as commencé sur papier humide et que tu as ajouté les détails après le séchage. La difficulté est toujours de calculer le bon moment pour continuer sans tout gâcher…
LikeLike
Bonjour Charles. I hope you don’t mind if I describe the process in English. I did this on dry paper, believe it or not. Here are the steps.
1. Pencil drawing
2. Light over-all wash using a combo of Cobalt Violet and Cobalt Blue, everywhere except a few small areas I wanted to leave in white.
3. When that wash is dry, paint the flowers with a very wet brush, letting them blend together somewhat. At this stage I keep the colour quite intense so I can get the vibrancy on the first pass.
4. Go back in with more pigment into some of the wet areas of the pinks and purples.
5. Let all of that dry and then go back to glaze in some of the shadow areas, again using fairly transparent paint.
The last thing you want is overworked, dry-looking flowers so always try to start really loose and wet and tighten up as you go along. Treat the flowers as one shape, especially when they are the same color.
Hope that helps.
Shari
LikeLike
That lavender stem, it’s amazing!
LikeLike
Sometimes things work out, lol!
LikeLike
So beautiful! I would not attempt painting those. I’ve just added ice cubes to the vase of glads here
LikeLike
At least I gave you some good advice about the care of the flowers.
LikeLike
Gorgeous…and thanks for the tip!!!
LikeLike
Stunning and I love Gladioli. Grow them in my garden 🙂
LikeLike
How to make gladioli last a long time – well, paint them!
LikeLike
Yes!!
LikeLike
[…] of Watercolor Artist magazine. It’s the back page article called Open Book and it’s of a sketch of some gladioli that I bought at the Jean Talon Market last […]
LikeLike