?????????
Keeping it fresh As Helen Tarr demonstrates, careful preparation and pre-mixing the colours are the keys to creating a lively painting of roses in oils
I
have been painting the flowers from my garden, along with various pots, jars and vases, since the first coronavirus lockdown forced me to look closer to home for subjects to paint from direct observation. Roses in particular have long been my artistic
nemesis, so of course I choose to paint them frequently! I had one simple objective with this work: that it should be a lively response to the subject. I know from bitter experience that it is too easy to take a promising painting and inadvertently wreck it, and that I have to exercise enormous self-control to retain the light touch and relaxed look to my work that I strive for. Lots of squinting and thinking in more abstract terms helps too (this is a pale pink oval, that is a dark area, etc).
Setting up Helen Tarr has BA and MA degrees in fine art. She exhibits widely and her work is in British and international collections. Helen is also a qualified tutor and has taught art classes and workshops for over 20 years, as well as providing painting demonstrations and critique evenings for art societies. www.helentarr.co.uk
30
artist June 2021
I set up the still life so that, from an oblique angle, I was able to see the back of the flowers reflected in the mirror, bringing depth and interest to the composition. I always set up my equipment and palette in the same way so that I can easily find what I need as I paint. I lay brushes that are in use on
p Hypericum and Agapanthus in Sunshine, oil on board, 8310in (20.5325.5cm). The glancing light brings the complementary colours of these flowers to life as they stand on this sunny windowsill
the pochade box with my palette pots and tuck a large cloth into the belt of my apron for dabbing brushes as I work. My palette is usually held in my left hand. I chose to work on a premium cotton board from Jackson’s Art, which I underpainted with pale umber acrylic paint. The 8310in board is the perfect size for a painting that can be largely completed within a couple of hours before the light changes drastically. The warm grey underpainting becomes a useful ground and allows me to work briskly as there are no ‘empty’ white gaps to cover up.
Preparing to paint My first step was to pre-mix the key colours. I have discovered that this initial focus on colour and palette saves time and effort while painting. Knowing that you already have the right colours (checked by holding the mix
www.painters-online.co.uk
