"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Red Dahlia

I finished the red dahlia painting yesterday - I am still wondering if I shouldn't make the green background darker, but for now, I am leaving it alone.

The painting is 22" x 24" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper.  This is what I would almost consider a conceptual piece since the process almost overtakes the painting - the purposeful, controlled application of the mask, and then the controlled pouring of the paint with the masked lines, changing the subject into my concept of the flower, rather than a photographic replica of the subject.

I poured with acrylic inks, and then finished the painting with watercolor.  Yes - you can paint over acrylic inks with watercolor if the inks have been diluted with water before the pouring process.  Most of the reds are the original pour - only the white masked areas and the shadows where the petals overlap, are watercolor.

5 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

Another beauty, Barb!

Debbie Nolan said...

Barb this is lovely. Like the idea of using acrylic inks and then watercolor. So beautiful.

Donna Pierce-Clark said...

JUST FABULOUS!!!!!

Watercolors by Susan Roper said...

I love how you did the petals that need to turn down, adds so much depth to this. Great painting, and so large!

Barb Sailor said...

Thank you so much Sherry, Debbie, Donna and Susan!!!
Your comments are always important to me -
Debbie - the watercolors work beautifully over the ink as long as you have diluted it with water to begin with.
Susan - sometimes I wished I had made it smaller - especially when pouring! lol