Flower Canvas for all seasons

This flower canvas can be painted to suit any season or décor.  I had painted it before in pinks (you know me) and  since I am showing you how to create it now I thought it would be fun to paint it in fall colors.

For this project I used DecoArt Americana acrylics and a 12″ x 12″ canvas.  The project could be adapted to any size canvas.

Since I am planning on painting the flowers  in shades of orange I thought it would be fun to use a complementary color for the background so I used Sapphire.

I created the vase with an old dictionary page.  You could also use scrapbook paper or just paint the vase.  I use Decou-Page Matte to glue the vase to the canvas.  Rub an old charge card over the vase to remove any air bubble and securely attach the paper.  Allow to dry and then add another coat of Decou-Page.

Use a #10 shader and paint thinned Soft Black stripes on vase starting at the bottom.  Reload your brush for each stripe, starting on the same side each time.

Transfer on pattern.  Normally when painting these flowers I would use three color: a dark value, a medium value and a light value, plus a complementary shading color like Dioxazine Purple.   I also might use white if it was not used as your light value.  Because I am painting on a dark background and oranges are very transparent I did a base coat of Spicy Mustard for the flowers.

Using a #8 filbert or round brush loosely base in leaves with Antique Green.  Place a C shape stroke in the center of each flower with Persimmon for the center.  Paint loose strokes around the flowers, varying the alignment of the stroke.

Now working one leaf at a time paint again with Antique Green, pat Avocado Dip on edge of leaf, wipe excess off of brush and then pat and blend.  Do the same with Plantation Pine at the back of the leaf.

For the next step work one flower at a time.   You will be adding loose strokes like you did for the gold varying the placement of the strokes.  Work loosely and try to not over think it.

Go over gold strokes with Spiced Pumpkin, wipe off brush and while flower is still wet add more Persimmon to the center and to the lower back side of the flower.  Wipe off brush and add Tangerine to top edge of flower next to center and then add more strokes going to edge of flower.  Keep more lighter strokes on the opposite side of the darker strokes.  Continue with each flower.  If you are not happy with how they look add another layer doing the same thing.

Again work one flower at a time working wet on wet.  Add Tangerine strokes over your previous light strokes, wipe off your brush and come back in and add Warm White strokes.

Continue working one flower at a time.   Now we are going to add a little Dioxazine Purple to our dark areas.  Stroke over your dark areas with Spiced Pumpkin then wipe your brush and pick up Dioxazine Purple and stroke over some of your dark areas and strengthen the center of your flower.

Float Dioxazine Purple on inside and outside edges of your vase.

Float Dioxazine Purple under leaves and between flowers.  Strengthen shading at sides of vase and underneath it with Soft Black.

My background seemed like something was missing so I added a little stenciling with Dioxazine Purple on the right side.  The stencil I used is Curley Cue by Tracy Moreau (www.tracymoreau.com).

I brush mixed Dioxazine Purple and Plantation Pine to paint the veins.  Paint a Warm White highlight down one side of the vase.  When done paint a coat of Decou-Page Matte over the top of your canvas.

To help you with painting this project here is a little video on painting the flowers.  For the video I used a different color palette to help you see how you can use different colors for your palette.

This is the project in the video, it is painted on a 5″ x 7″ canvas.  I used Aqua Sky for the background.  Hauser Medium Green, Evergreen, and Foliage Green for the leaves and Spa Blue, Indian Turquoise, Warm White, Snow White and Dioxazine Purple for the flowers.

This is the same project the flowers are Royal Fuchsia, Deep Burgundy, Warm White and Dioxazine Purple.

I did the same type of flowers on this canvas, because the flowers were smaller I used a smaller brush.

Here are printable patterns for the 12″ x 12″ and the 5″ x 7″ project:

• Small flower pattern 5×7 (PDF)
• Large flower pattern 12×12 (PDF)

Once you get the hang of it these flowers are very quick to create.  So get a group of friends together and have a fun afternoon creating.

Painting Blessings,

Jane

PS.  Here is another fun fall canvas to paint  Fall Owl Painting – DIY