Friendship Blooms

Friendship Blooms
On Friday night I invited a few of my arty friends over to have a drink with me to show my new studio and to celebrate its completion. It was a wonderful couple of hours and I did have maybe a glass too many but it was a special night. One lovely friend Susan, arrived with a bottle of bubbly and more exciting a beautiful flower from one of her Camellia bushes. This 11" x 15" painting of Camellias I started the following morning. I created it from that single bloom using a new paper I have just purchased. It is Saunders Waterford CP 425gsm in bright white. I started with only the expectation of trying out the new paper and trying to capture the essence of the single bloom. I am pleased with how the colours remained clean and bright and carried on creating more blooms as if on the bush. I am wondering about the freshness of this painting and I think maybe it is the the clean bright white of the paper that has produced this. It could also be that I did not rush as I had to leave it late morning to go to town for a birthday lunch and therefore did not come back to it for nearly 24 hours.So is it my fiddling and hurry to finish pieces that makes them less fresh or is it the new paper, its heavier weight, its brilliant white that has helped???. I will have to get stuck into something else now to try and work this out. Would be pleased to hear your thoughts and experience with bright white paper.

Comments

  1. I've never used the bright white, Lorraine, although I plan to one day. Your colors certainly do look brilliant, though, so you may be on to something. Personally, I think it's your new studio, which has left you totally inspired and centered as an artist!!

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  2. Glad you had a fab celebration to christan your lovely studio. Don't know about white paper but whenever I take my time with a painting and ponder every move with lots of gaps and plenty of time out, it turns out fresh and less busy. Hazel Soan always says to think about every brush stroke before placing brush to paper. Maybe taking our time allows us the time to do this, rather than rushing in and covering the paper in the blink of an eye. Still have not mastered this though. I keep trying.... :-)

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  3. Sorry meant to mention the painting is fabulous and as you say lovely fresh colours with lots of beautiful white sparkly bits.

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    1. Wouldnt it be good Laura if it was just slow down, this I could try without taxing the brain,if it was other techniques needed this means more work LOL

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  4. The painting is indeed exceptionally bright and fresh, really lovely. Could be the paper, but could also be because you did a good job :-))

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  5. Lovely - You did a great job on saving some whites to give it some contrast. Glad you had a good time showing off your studio.

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    1. Thanks Joan, I have even had my first public viewers through on the weekend

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  6. I have both the 140lb and 300lb Saunders white but haven't used the heavier weight yet... saving it for best!!I like the white and it may well be that which has helped keep the freshness and maybe the paper anyway.. have you used Saunders before? I realy like it, that and Arches are so good to work on. Yes more practice to see if it is because you think you may overwork... not really seen that with your paintings but a bit of testing needed!!

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    1. Judith, I use SW quite a bit in the Cold Press as well as Arches - all usually the 140lb. I bought the bright white in the heavier weight because it was on special in fact cheaper than Arches 140lb so don't feel guilty using it

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  7. Lorraine - this is very fresh with beautiful colors. I love the bright white papers - have never tried the Saunders though - used Arches and Fabriano - will have to try this paper out. Now I am going to catch up on your other posts because I haven't visited your new studio yet.

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  8. I am looking forward to trying the bright white some more

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  9. Beautiful camellias Lorraine! And what a lovely little "open house" with arty friends! I haven't used the bright white either. Do you like the Saunders Waterford? It seems too soft to me but that's what JZ was using. Arches also makes the bright white.

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    1. Thanks Sherry, I have used the SW in 140lb a fair bit in the CP and quite like it, I do have a lot of Arches too not sure if I am able to prefer one over the other at the moment

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  10. beautiful flowers and watermarks on the petals lorraine ... combination of good friends and new studio :)

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