Art Ideas - Botanical Beauty
Friday, 09 January 2009 21:58 Joan
Posted in Art ideas
Do you sometimes wonder “What shall I paint?” Here is an idea for you! Take a look in the veggie garden, if you are lucky to have one, or in the supermarket maybe and see the great choices of colour and shapes in the fruits and vegetables!
A cabbage for example might seem rather uninteresting until you cut it in half! See the beauty inside with all those fascinating whorls and wiggly shapes, rather like a road map, that are formed by the close layers of leaves forming the sold head. There are plush purple cabbages and various glorious greens so you can take your pick.
It takes a while to draw all those convolutions but well worth the effort in the end when you stand back to view your work.
Another idea is to paint the cut side of the cabbage itself and then use it as a stencil onto your paper or onto fabric using fabric paint. The print can be repeated in a design as often as you wish in any colour or even a combination of different colours. The choice is yours so just use your imagination and feel free to use it in any way that you fancy!
Try painting garlic without cutting it and see the colours under its peeling, papery skin. Healthy plump garlic has a beauty of its own often showing purples, blues, pinks and browns under this skin on the cloves.
Then you can look at other varieties such as aubergines with that deep maroon red that come in varying shapes and sizes, plush red tomatoes, green, red or yellow peppers also in varying sizes and shapes. Vegies and fruit can make delightful paintings, the list goes on and on so whatever takes your fancy give it a go and see the pleasure that can be found in painting botanical objects which can be so cheerful and pleasing to the eye. Just enjoy it!
Anonymous 2009-02-22 20:20:11
pods, thorn branch, weavers nest , to mention a few. Keep up the good work Joan.