A whole new art collection is forming in my studio, and it is absolutely beautiful already! I unofficially refer to these paintings as my "romantic botanicals," since I'm using my own house plants as references for each painting.
I create these plant art pieces on raw canvas in mixed media, beginning with charcoal pencil line drawings and sometimes wax pencil.
Drawing from life is something I wanted to do more of, so this process is truly fulfilling! I have always loved drawing leaves, and the trailing motion in the plants I'm working with make the process nearly meditative.
Next, I coat the canvas with clear gesso (rather than the usual white) so that I can get the base I need without covering up the warm tone of the canvas.
Once this layer dries, I mix up a palette of soft, romantic colors in acrylic paints. I paint thin washes of color and thicker, loose brush strokes in my favorite greens, blues, blushy pinks, peaches, and creams. Finally, I add in more charcoal intuitively to bring the plant and leaves to life.
