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Dried Hydrangea Flowerhead's WIP

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Fiona Phipps

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Using up leftover paint on this oil sketch of last year’s Hydrangea flowerheads. I pile them up in bowls around the house. Spent about an hour so far, another hour should take it as far as I want to go with it. I’m not aiming at a polished result really.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Good start - I can have enough of the pink hydrangeas, but love that blue variety (depends on the acidity of the soil as to which you get, I understand).  And yes - we can polish too much; very anxious to avoid that with a painting I'm working on now, because I polished the life out of another one that I just wouldn't leave alone, and which I've now put away in a place of shame. 

Fiona Phipps

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Thank you Robert. I don’t know why but I have both pink and blue Hydrangers growing in the garden, and even one that has pink going over to purple and blue flowers on the same shrub.....very odd.  I usually make the mistake of picking away at a painting until the freshness is lost, then I get bored with it, so I understand what you’re saying.
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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I like that, Fiona. Certainly not overpolished, the reason for its attractiveness. And I especially like the hydrangeas which have a range of colours in the one flower. I've got loads of dried ones around the house ( wouldn't dare blow on them).

Fiona Phipps

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Lol...I know what you mean Marjorie.....you wouldn’t want to blow on them, think of that nest of dust bunnies you would be disturbing! I cheat and cut fresh ones every year, they don’t get touched in between though. I’m hoping for restraint when I tackle it again, I’ll post, good or bad result. It’s the ellipses that will be the clincher....as always. Thanks Marjorie.
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

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But do you need a foil for this cold palette?

Ellen Mooney

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I love hydrangeas, Fiona. This is one I painted a few years ago. I actually used the dried out petals and applied them to the painting with pva glue, placed paper on top of them and weighted them down for 24 hours. Then I proceeded to put the colour back in on top of the dried petals. I paint in acrylics so this may have helped. It was an experiment and I wasn’t sure it would work.....but it survived! 

Edited
by Ellen Mooney

Fiona Phipps

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Sorry Linda , I’m not sure what you mean. That’s a great idea Ellen, incorporating the flower petals, a kind of collage effect. A lovely result, bet it sold pretty quickly.

Ellen Mooney

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Thank you Fiona. I actually had birthday cards printed from it, which sold at a craft/art fair. Which I’m missing at the moment.  I’m looking forward to seeing yours when it’s finished.

Fiona Phipps

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I think this is as far as I want to go, so I’ll call it finished. Wanted a loose interpretation of the Hydrangea flowerheads, with just one or two flower shapes distinguishable. Not a good day to take photos.
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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I really like this Fiona, love the colours you've used - the warmth as the light hits and the blues and purples of the shadows. The unfinished edges add to the charm.

Denise Cat

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I think it is really lovely Fiona and I really like this loose style.
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