Still Life Painting of Tulips

Gray, windy, overcast weather curtailed my plein air adventures this weekend. I had hoped to take our little boat out on the bay for some snorkeling, a picnic and painting with my family. However the rain today inspired me to finally finish a tulip painting that has been sitting in my studio for a few months. I loved how the tulip flowers came out and was afraid I would ruin It when I put in the background. Happy to say… it came out okay and it felt SO good to finally finish it!

Spring in Rhode Island means visit to Wicked Tulips! Acres of tulips grace your eyes…

Daffodils are my favorite flower, but tulips are just behind. I love the vibrant streaks of color in each petal. I did a quick study in water color of these flowers while they were still fresh, in addition to several pictures. This helped me note the real colors and recreate them more accurately in the painting. For instance, the interior of the purple tulip was a vibrant light blue periwinkle color, much different from the white gray in the photo. I love how the small touches of quinacridone magenta in the leaves really make the green sing. The glass vase leaves a bit to be desired, but I may touch that up more once the painting dries.