Written by When it comes to choosing a favorite flower, the first one that came to mind was an orchid. I’m not sure if they’re truly my favorite, but I definitely find them beautiful. I also like the fact that the center of the flower almost has a little bit of a face and some extra personality. Flowers are not my favorite subject matter to paint, so they are always a bit of a challenge for me. I adore looking at them in real or painted form, but in life, they hold little chance of living if I’m their caretaker. I’ve no “green thumb” as people say. Though I wasn’t quite sure why they started calling it that. As with anything, the origin is hard to trace, so the most interesting story often wins. Apparently, King Edward I of England was rather fond of eating green peas and would have half a dozen serfs furiously shelling them during the season. The serf who had the “greenest thumb,” and therefore presumably had shelled the most, would win a prize. Today, it just refers to someone who is incredibly good at gardening, and so it’s a rather irrelevant term when it comes to me.
Today, I experimented a bit with color, using colors I’ve not yet tried yet from Da Vinci Paint Co. The primary color I used was Opus (Vivid Pink), which had been been featured in the image on the recent World Watercolor Month giveaway and I’ve been dying to try it ever since. It’s a lovely and vibrant color, and an orchid seemed to be the perfect opportunity to give it a go. I have a penchant for brighter colors. Colors that don’t so much mimic reality as much as they enhance it. I like to try to paint things in a way that looks realistic without actually being real. For pure reality, we have photographs, but for illustration, it’s an opportunity to play a bit with color and create something that reflects the source without actually replicating it. I have to admit that I always think that if I could ever muster the energy to spend a bit more time on paintings, I could make something really intricate and amazing. But I lack the patience to do so, and I love starting fresh each and every day.
It’s always an interesting time after World Watercolor Month ends. I enjoy the little lull that comes as it’s a chance to relax and recharge. And, yes, I’m not giving something away each and every day, so less people show up to view my posts. I wish I could though, as that was super amazing! But stay tuned to these posts as I may just have some surprises for you in August. And if you’re a watercolor artist, then I would like to personally invite you to join Doodlewash Club and create your own profile. This is a newly created little social community that we’re all building together, and that I haven’t really advertised broadly yet. I think clubs are cooler when you just have people join organically and make it into something awesome together. You can log in with Facebook or a few other social methods, and instantly get a profile! And best of all, you can tell me what you’d like to see next and I can try my darnedest to make it happen! It’s a bit of an experiment, but I think it will grow into something really beautiful, and out of all my crazy ideas, will one day become my favorite flower.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Hansa Yellow Deep, Red Rose Deep, Opus (Vivid Pink), Ultramarine Violet, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna Deep, Terra Cotta, Burnt Umber, and Payne’s Grey. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. |
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A lovely orchid painting Charlie. My mother loved growing orchids and would always have a pot of them hanging outside in front of her kitchen window. She lived in Florida so the conditions were perfect for growing them. Now my sister, who also lives in Florida, grows some beautiful ones too. You chose a perfect flower to paint….it’s a real beauty.
Thanks so much, June! 😃💕 Aww that’s so lovely your sister is carrying on the tradition! They’re truly a beautiful flower… I find them so fascinating!
Simply beautiful, Charlie!
Thanks so much, Carol! 😃💕
This is beautfully done! The history of “green thumb” very cool 😊 I had no idea! Thank you again for your encouragement and all that you do.
Thanks so much, Shannon! 😃💕 Yeah, I honestly didn’t know that about the “green thumb” until I researched it. Well, HAD to know suddenly before I could possibly finish my post. 😊LOL
This is beautiful 🌼🌸
Thanks so much, Meenakshi! 😃💕
I used to grow orchids until I killed them all. Now it’s cacti all the way. Loll
Lovely painting!
Thanks, Lisa! 😃💕 LOL… cacti are quite lovely as well!! Sorry about the orchids though… they wouldn’t have lasted long at all in my care!
you’ve captured them beautifully. I remember taking the phalaenopsis apart when I was trying to learn how to make them look real on the wedding cakes I was making. Orchids are still my favorite to make and to look at but alas you and I are afflicted with the same problem. I always feel guilty that I killed yet another plant!!
Thanks, Jennifer! 😃💕 I’m so happy to know I’m not alone there. I just wasn’t blessed with a green thumb. 😊 But I’m sure they looked gorgeous as part of a wedding cake!
Beautiful orchid. And your right, I never noticed the little face in the center. How cool.
Thanks, Sandra! 😃💕 Yeah, sometimes there’s even a couple little eyes! Or at least that’s my overactive imagination tells me!
Loveky flower indeed and you painted it beautiful.
Aww thanks so much, Pili!! 😃💕
Lovely color. There is a flower called a Monkey Flower – and yes, the “face” in the center resembles a monkey’s.
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 I know!! I love that flower!! It’s so awesome!! If I had remembered it, I might have chosen that instead. So fun!
Stunning! Great job.
Thanks so much, Tom!! 😃💕
Very nice!
Thanks so much, Casey! 😃💕
Orchids are amazing flowers, for their colors and varieties. You painted this one beautifully – lovely to see. Yeah, that new Opus is perfect for an orchid.
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 Glad you enjoyed this one! Yeah, I’m loving these new colors. Had to play with them again for today’s post! hehe
Opus. How does that compare to the Operas in other lines? It looks amazing.
Also, YES. I admire the stuffings out of people who can do hyper-realistic painting, but there’s just something so evocative about the magical reality created by looser interpretations. Love this.