REINHOLD

Painting Flowers
for Pleasure
Oil Techniques Clara Barnes
ainting Flowers for Pleasure: Oil
echniques offers a fresh, simplified ap-
•oach to painting —
by an artist who has
lined wide recognition for her charm-
g flower paintings and portraits.
Clara Barnes presents the basic ele-
ents and techniques of oil painting
ith both clarity and enthusiasm. Her

ve for flowers and her joy in painting

e evident throughout. Among the topics
e explores are basic forms, brush
rokes, composition, color mixture, paint-

g methods, tools, and materials. The

formative text is complemented by
)re than 100 illustrations
in black and
lite and eight of the author's flower
intings,' handsomely reproduced in full
or.Numerous quotations on the subject
flowers by writers ranging from Wal-
e Stevens to Winston Churchill add
:erest.

A. unique feature is a special section

the use of flower painting in interior

:oration. Suggestions include hanging
ver paintings in combination with
orative objects, and using trompe
:il painting on walls to disguise narrow
Is, dark corners and small rooms. Each
inor miracle of decoration" is illus-
ted by examples that have been suc-
sfully carried out; many are photo-
phed in actual homes.
)ther useful chapters discuss the selec-
1 of containers and background mate-
s, how to frame and hang pictures,
how to organize working time and
ce.

f you love flowers and have an interest

minting, you will find this book emi-
tly practical and stimulating.
How splendid in the morning grows the lily;

with what grace he throws

His supplication to the rose.
— James Elroy Flecker

Painting Flowers for Pleasure: Oil Techniques

I Flowers are the beautiful hieroglyphics of Nature,
with ivhich she indicates how much she loves us.
—Goethe
Painting Flowers
for Pleasure
Oil Techniques

Clara Barnes

REINHOLD BOOK CORPORATION

A subsidiary of Chapman-Reinhold, Inc.
New York Amsterdam London
 To Rusty

© 1962, Reinhold Publishing Corporation

All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 6

Second Printing, 1968

Designed by Clara Barnes

Type set by Howard O. Bullard, Inc.
Printed and bound by The Comet Press, Inc.
Published by Reinhold Book Corporation
A subsidiary of Chapman-Reinhold, Inc.
430 Park Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10022
 CONTENTS

(')
INTRODUCTION ROSES TWO WAYS TO PAINT THEM
8 PERENNIAL FAVORITES MORE ABOUT METHODS
10 FIVE CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS CHECKLIST
1 2 THESE ARE YOUR TOOLS STEPS IN PAINTING [II IIS

14 Brushes EXPERIMENT IN KNIFE PAINTING

15 Other Tools and Materials TWO SEASONAL ARRANGEMENTS
16 Canvas IMAGINATION AND FANTASY
17 PREPARING THE GROUND MINOR MIRACLES OF DECORATION
18 SOME BASIC FLOWER FORMS Wall Panels
20 IN THE GARDEN THE TERRACE
22 STROKES WITH BRUSH AND PALETTE KNIFE A COLORFUL WELCOME
22 The Responsive Brush TROMPE I.'OEIL

23 The Versatile Palette Knife INFINITE VARIETY

24 BLOSSOMS AND LEAVES SUBJECTS EVERYWHERE
29 THE COMPLETE FLOWER PAINTING OUT OF DOORS
30 COMPOSITION REALISM OR ABSTRACTION
32 Lighting Spatial Arrangement
34 Tonal Values Break Away from Realism
35 Scale CONTAINERS
3f> ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND MATERIALS AND ACCESSORIES
38 Three Arrangements of Nine Chrysanthemums FRAMING
39 If You Chose This One Move About Framing
40 WHAT YOU LEAVE OUT IS IMPORTANT HANGING YOUR WORK
42 COMBINING ALL ELEMENTS A PLACE TO WORK
44 APPROACH TO COLOR Budget Your Time
46 Setting the Palette SOME GENERAL INFORMATION
47 Mixing Your Colors NOW BE YOURSELF!
50 PAINTING METHODS BIBLIOGRAPHY

COLOR PLATES
49 TULIPS 74 CLEMATIS
59 TULIPS — PROGRESSIVE STEPS 83 THE GIFT
62 AUTUMN 86 PEONIES
72 WALL PANEL 96 TWO ABSTRACTIONS
 — a

INTRODUCTION

He best shall paint them

who shall feel them most.
—Pope

This a book for all who love flowers and

is as much as men or animals. Some seem to
want —
paint them for the student who
to smile some have a sad expression some are
; ;

hopes to paint for profit for the hard-— pensive and diffident others, again, are plain,
;

working- commercial artist who revels in honest and upright, like the broad-faced sun-
painting for his own satisfaction. It is a book flower and the hollyhock."
for the doctor, the lawyer, the business man
— for anyone who finds that the tensions of
You will develop a new awareness —
heightened, enriching sense of beauty in all
daily work fade away when he faces his can- nature. You will discover subtle forms and
vas. colors that you never saw before.
It is a book, too, for the lucky ones who These quick, realistic sketches will prove
paint only for pleasure. Their advantage over extremely helpful later. From them you can
the professional is enormous. They are not select the essential spiritand feeling of the
bound by necessity to please a client or a flower you plan to paint.
critic. They can revel in the pure joy of crea- I firmly believe that good craftsmanship
tion. can be learned. Let the genius soar in his own
To paint flowers, you must know them. To starry orbit. This book is not for him. Too
know them, you must really look at them often, potential talent may be discouraged
study them. by an inability to handle the tools of painting
Take quick notes. Sketch flowers in the or because of confusion about techniques. All
fields —
in the garden —
in the greenhouse in — that is needless.
the studio. Their infinite variety of form and This book offers a simple, practical ap-
color is an endless delight. proach to painting in oils.-one that has
You to quote from Henry
will discover, proved successful for me over the years.
Ward Beecher's A
Discourse on Flowers: While my chief concern here is flower
"Flowers have an expression of countenance painting, these basic methods can, of course,

be applied to other forms of still life, to land-
scapes, and to figure painting.
By following the methods described here,
the reader will advance step by step to a final
painting in glorious color.
—
Color the key word in painting flowers!
I frankly revel in it. Let's leave the muted
palettes and somber colors for other subjects.
Even with only moderate skill, color makes
it possible to produce a charming flower study
— one that can be used with striking effect
in the home.
Flowers create no model problem because
they're available everywhere. Gardens, fields
and woods are filled with subjects waiting to
be painted.
!
The effective use of flower paintings in the
home is discussed, with suggestions for fram-
ing and hanging your work.
There is a section devoted to wall decora-
tions — to creating flower paintings directly
on the wall of a room or a terrace. As you
will discover, the procedure is not difficult.
In fact, the whole point of this book is that
flower painting is not difficult. I believe you
will agree when you have finished reading it
and have tried my suggestions.
When you have reached that point, then
be yourself. Don't be bound or influenced by
the opinions of others. Your own natural ap-
proach will more surely bring success.
Let your spirit soar
C.E.B.
^>—
 — —
PERENNIAL FAVORITES
"The Magic of Flowers in Painting" was
the title of an exhibition held some years ago
at the Wildenstein Gallery in New York City.
It is a title that I would have liked to use
for this book. It describes so well my feeling
about the subject.
In the exhibit, famous paintings by dis-
tinguished artists were on display. Through
these works the progress of flower painting
was traced from the sixteenth century to the
present.
But the history of flower painting goes
back much further than the sixteenth
century. Throughout the ancient world in — Odilon Redon spent his life creating
Egypt, Persia, Greece, China and India-
there were artists who tried to capture the
evanescent beauty of flowers.
The famous painters of the Renaissance
Leonardo, Botticelli, Titian, and many others
— all made
exquisite studies of flowers which
they later used in their canvases.
The great period of flower painting began
in the seventeenthcentury when the rich and
the powerful clamored to own canvases by
such famous artists as Jan Brueghel and
Jan de Heem of the Flemish school and Jan
van Huysum and Rachel Ruysch of the Dutch
school.
This was the period of abundance; can-
vases spilled over with their treasures of
every known flower, all painted with utmost
/ believe in Michelangelo, Velas-
quez, and Rembrandt; in the
might of design, the mystery of
color, the redemption of all
things by Beauty everlasting,
and the message of Art that has
made these hands blessed.
—G. B. Shaio
In France, Fantin-Latour, Monnoyer,
fidelity.
Portal and many others carried on in this
same spirit with their rich and overflowing
canvases.
The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists
of the nineteenth century brought atmos-
phere, light, vivid color, and gayety to their
interpretations of flowers. Manet, Monet,
Renoir, Pissarro, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and
Gauguin are among the great names of this
period. Their flower paintings are eagerly
sought for every famous art collection in the
world.
strangely haunting pictures. They are works
of great imaginative beauty in which flowers
play a dominant role.
In the work of some of the modern paint-
ers— whose approach is far from realism
the original inspiration may not be obvious.
Klee, for instance, used flower forms in many
of his paintings, transforming them into
strange, sometimes amusing shapes. But, if
you study his paintings, you will discover the
flower that set his imagination on fire.
It is difficult to think of any modern artist
who has not been fascinated by the color,
form, or texture of flowers. The paintings
which have resulted are as varied as the per-
sonalities of the artists —but each interpreta-
tion is great in its own way.
VASE OF FLOWERS.
ODILOX REDOX.
Collection, The Museum of Mod-
ern Art, New York. Gift of Wil-
liam S. Paley.

HEX, COCK AXD CHICKENS

i detail}. HUANG CH'UAN.
The Metropolitan Museum of
Art, Fletcher Fund, 1947, The
A. W. Bahr Collection.

THE DREAM.
HEXRI ROUSSEAU.
Collection, The Museum of Mod-
ern Art, New York. Gift of X el-
son A. Rockefeller.
REGAL LILIES AND HOLLYHOCKS. GAILLARDIAS.
FRANK REDELIUS. MAX WEBER.
Courtesy of the artist and Grand Collection of Whitney Museum
Central Galleries, Inc., N. Y. of American Art, New York.

FIVE CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS

Here are five flower paintings by five
contemporary painters, each with a highly
individual approach. All five started with a
bare canvas, some paint, brushes, and a sense
of excitement. Each reflects in his canvas the
mood or the emotion that flowers inspired in
him.
If you have some flowers, in or out of a
vase, and would like to paint them, do so by
all means. You may produce a masterpiece.
Or you may produce a miserable daub so dis-
couraging that you'll never want to try again.
To avoid this unhappy result, a knowledge
of the fundamentals is essential. Virtually
every distinguished painter of today, includ-
ing the pure abstractionists, has this basic
knowledge as a background.
—
It's all here in this book. So let's begin.
WHITE ROSES.
PAUL W. D ARROW.
Courtesy of the artist.

SPATIAL ARRAXGEMEXT.
CHARLES T. COIXER.
From the collection of Mr.
Mrs. Graham Place.

-•*-•:?

PEOXIES.
STIRLIXG SPADEA.
Courtesy of the artist.

THESE ARE YOUR TOOLS
An art supply store is a fascinating,
bewildering place. It can lead the unwary
into a maze of beguiling bypaths. To avoid
them, you must enter with a carefully pre-
pared list firmly in hand.
Study the catalogues. Buy only the best
materials. The bargain brushes and cheap
colors will defeat your efforts to achieve a
satisfying result. It is far better to have a
small number of good materials than a large
supply of poor ones.
My list includes only those materials that
are already prepared and available in all
good art supply stores.
Some artists prefer to size the raw linen
canvas, to mix their own mediums, varnishes
and even to grind their own colors.
There are books that will give you all this
—
information if you are determined on this
do-it-yourself approach. (You will find some
12
—
)
excellent ones listed in the Bibliography.)
—
But there is only so much time and I
prefer to spend it all on painting. I buy
mediums, varnishes, and panels that are
ready for use.
Canvas is the one exception. Mounted
canvas is expensive. Buy a roll of good linen
canvas that is already primed. Stretch and
mount it yourself. This also makes it possible
to prepare a canvas in any size you wish
rather than being confined to the standard
sizes that are usually available.
Winsor & Newton, Permanent Pigment
Oil Colors, Shiva Artists Colors,
and Utrecht
Linens are among the reliable manufacturers
whose products can be bought with confidence
anywhere. (All large art supply houses will
be glad to send you their complete catalogues.
So here is your list. Now all you need is a
place to work— and enthusiasm.
Grounds — See page 16 Varnishes — See page 15

Canvas Miscellaneous

Linen Cups

Cotton Charcoal

Canvas boards Sketch pad

Masonite panels Pencils

Canvas-finished paper Paint rags

Linen-finished cardboard Paper towels

Paints— See Color Section, page Push pins

Brushes — See page 14 Stretchers

Knives — See page 15 Canvas gripper

Muli urns— See page 15 A steady easel

13
 .

BRUSHES

Brushes are your most important tools.

Good ones are expensive but, with care, they
will last a long time.
Always clean them promptly after each
day's work. First, remove as much paint as
possible on a paper towel; then rinse them
in turpentine or a prepared cleanser such as
Silicoil.
Finally, clean thoroughly with soap and
water, working the suds up well into the
bristles. Lay each brush flat to dry after
pressing it back into shape with the thumb
and forefinger. Don't neglect this cleansing
process. You can't work with a hard, paint-
clogged brush. .atfelJez
Here is a basic list, but later you will
probably want additional ones. For flower
painting, particularly, you need a clean brush
for each color. I own more than fifty. Some
are old and scrubby, but still useful for
creating certain effects.
Brushes are shown actual size.

Bristle. These are essential for strong, free

work. Hog bristle is best.

Sable (black or red). For finer work and

delicate details on smooth grounds.
S<*bf
Camel hair (or Fitch)

Script liner. For fine calligraphic effects.

Blender. A flat, soft brush for blending

colors.

Varnish brush. An ordinary varnish brush

about one and one-half inches wide.

C&m&lfaif.
 :

OTHER TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Knives. The palette knife is an important

painting tool, and is not used only for clean-
ing the palette. Sometimes do a complete
I

painting with the knife —

with just a little
help from the brush. prefer the straight
I

Made, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The

smaller of these has been tapered to produce
a narrower blade.
.Many artists use a painting knife like the
one in Figure 3. However, I find I have more
control over the straight blade and prefer it
for most purposes.
Look for palette knives that are flexible
but not ton soft. Figure 4 is a scraping knife.
This has a rigid blade. If you want to remove
dried paint completely from either canvas or
palette, use it or a putty knife. The sharp
point of the scraper can also be used to incise
fine line effects intowet paint.
Mediums. These are usually a mixture of
oil and turpentine. If the paint is stiff as it

comes from the tube, the medium helps it to

flow more freely.
I use the following. They will meet all your

needs
1. Taubes Medium Light. This is satisfac-
tory for most uses.
2. Rectified turpentine. Used as a painting

medium, it produces a thin effect and dries

without gloss. This is sometimes desirable.

3. Linseed oil. This is useful for special
purposes. Get the pure, light, artist's quality.
Varnishes. There are two kinds you will
need:
1. Copal varnish. Sometimes this is used

in underpainting —
between two layers of
paint.
2. Damar picture varnish. As the name
implies, this is used after the painting has
been completed.
Miscellaneous. You will also need:
Cups to hold medium and turpentine.
Soft charcoal sticks for sketching on can-
vas.
Fixative to fix the charcoal on canvas pre-
paratory to painting.
Sketch pad and pencils. (Keep them avail-
able for quick sketches.)

i:.
 :

CANVAS

A. Cotton. This is inexpensive, but its tex- Then reverse and tack the opposite side, us-
ture is too even for interesting effects. ing canvas grippers to hold the canvas taut.
B. Linen. A good medium texture that is Now follow the same procedure on the two
not too smooth and not too rough is fine for long sides.
most uses. 4. Now, beginning at the center of each

C. Linen. Rough but good for large can- side and tightening with grippers as you go,
vases or special textural effects. add tacks every two inches all around. Make
Mounting and Stretching the Canvas. This certain that the canvas is tight and wrinkle-
can be done in six easy steps free.
1. Fasten the stretchers together firmly. 5. Fold the corners over and tack them
Be sure the corners are squared to make an down.
accurate rectangle. 6. Add the stretcher keys, which will take
2. Lay the canvas on a flat surface, primed up any slight slack that might develop. Se-
side down. The size of the canvas must ex- cure the stretcher keys with a tack.
ceed that of the stretchers by IV2 inches all A staple gun is a good investment. It is
around. faster and easier to handle than a hammer
3. Fold the canvas on over one short side and tacks.
of the frame and tack down in the center. Your canvas is now ready for use.

L6
PREPARING THE GROUND
The ground is the surface on which the
painting is made. The support is the material
on which the ground is laid. This may be
canvas, wood, paper, metal, or anything else
on which a painting can be produced.
There is no better support than a good
linen canvas on stretchers it is the one which
; I often use for smaller paintings. Your build-
I prefer to use. It is flexible and responsive
to the strokes of both brush and palette knife.
It lends itself to many different painting
techniques without any injury to its surface.
Cotton canvas also has some of these ad-
vantages, but its texture is not very inter-
esting.
Our canvas has come already primed with
an oil ground and is now stretched and ready
for use. But not quite ready. It is always de-
sirable to give it an additional coat of ordi-
nary white lead such as house painters use.
(I use Dutch Boy.) Scrubbed well into the
canvas with a stiff brush or the palette knife,
it will greatly improve the surface.
This is particularly true of cotton canvas.
In fact, two or three extra priming coats
willimprove its mechanical texture.
Canvas panels should be treated in the
same way,
Prepare several canvases at one time and
let them dry four or five days before using.
Masonite. This is a good rigid board that
ing supply yard can cut a sheet into several
different sizes for you. One side is smooth.
I prefer this to the rough side, which has the
same disadvantage as cotton canvas — a mo-
notonous, even texture.
Either side will need one or two coats of
a prepared gesso such as Liquitex. This dries
overnight. Two coats, applied in opposite di-
rections, will create an agreeable texture for
painting.The surface will still, however,
have some absorbent qualities. A coat of
varnish over the gesso makes a harder
ground.
Canvas-textured paper. This may be used
for practice, but it soaks up paint like blot-
ting paper. A coat of varnish or white shellac
helps.
17
SOME BASIC FLOWER FORMS

Color, of course, is what we first react to

when we look at flowers. However, in order
to successfully capture and hold their fleet-
ing charm with paint on canvas, a knowl-
edge of their forms and characteristics is
essential.
You must know the shape of a rose or a
lily —
how each rises on its stem, the growth
and form of its leaves.
The ethereal grace and movement of the
poppy are very different from the strong,
lance-like thrust of the iris.
You must know the special characteristics
of a flower before you try to paint it. Then
you will be able to suggest its individual qual-
ity without painting every vein and petal.
But you can't leave out such details unless
you know they are there.
So go into your garden. Look. Sketch and
take notes.
As a help in sketching, here are a few basic
forms into which a great number of flower
groups can be roughly divided:

1. The circle. Probably the greatest num-

ber of flowers fit the circle, their petals radi-
ating star-like from the center. The great
family of daisies belongs here, as well as the
anemones, asters, hibiscus, dogwood, and
many others.
The simple front view of the daisy fills
the starry circle.
By turning the circle, it becomes an oval,
and our daisy is now seen from the side. It is
shown in perspective.

2. The trumpet shape. The outstanding ex-

amples are the many varieties of lilies. The
petunia, fuchsia, and many other flowers be-
long in this category.
The side view of a lily fits easily into this
shape.
Face the trumpet forward for a side-front
view. Face it backward for a back view.
 "tial thing in form is to !» / is used.
— Wallace Stevens

3. The bowl. Peonies fit this shape — as do

some roses and begonias.
In the perspective view, one or two inner
circles will suggest rows of petals.
Turn the bowl upside down for zinnias,
pyrethrums, and chrysanthemums.

4. The bell shape. Although somewhat

similar to the trumpet shape, it fits the
shorter, rounder types such as the tulip, blue-
bell,gloxinia and trumpet vine.
The perspective view is similar to the
turned trumpet.

5. Combination forms. By combining some

of these shapes, many of the more compli-
cated flowers are suggested.
The circle andare fine for daffodils.
bell
Add a convoluted shell form to the circle in
order to suggest a half-opened rose.
As you study the structure of flowers,
other simple forms, such as triangles, cylin-
ders, and rectangles, will suggest themselves
to you.

19
 And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
—Shelley

IN THE GARDEN

At times, the glory and abundance of bloom clutter my drawings with notes, no matter
is But the life of a flower is
intoxicating. how useful they may prove.
fleeting.Hold it while you can with your If you study these sketches, you can see
pencil and sketchbook. that the basic forms (pages 18 and 19) have
On these pages are a few of the many been very lightly suggested. For a flower that
sketches made in my garden. They have often is very irregular, a line or two will usually
proved invaluable for later use. indicate the shape.
Make quick notes of interesting forms and I like to use two pencils for this purpose —
attractive groupings of buds and blossoms. a 3B or 4B to block in the masses and a flat
Do they spring independently from the bed 6B to suggest tone. This is a purely personal
— or lean gracefully against each other? preference. If you find the 4B too soft, use a
These random sketches may suggest a 2B — but never a hard pencil for sketching.
carefully studied painting in color later, so It is too inhibiting.
jot down anything of particular interest — Sometimes I use a felt-nibbed sketching
an unusual color effect, the play of light and pen. This is fine for direct effects. It forces
shade, anything that excites you. one to select essentials only, and is excellent
For these notes I use a separate sheet of practice, but it requires more skill than the
paper or a tissue overlay because I hate to pencil.

20
 STROKES WITH BRUSH AND PALETTE KNIFE

THE RESPONSIVE BRUSH

*
>
<Uf f i

22
 To find out what your brush will do for Make strong, direct strokes without blending.
you, practice some simple strokes on canvas Figure 4. Try a loaded sable brush to in-
paper before you begin to paint. dicate a petal at one stroke. Press down (irm-
Then when you know just what you want ly at the wide end. Twist the brush to narrow
to say. your brush will Bay it for you. Always the stroke toward the end, and lift sharply.
keep it well loaded, and make firm, definite Figure 5. Try both bristle and sable
strokes —with the brush flexed and pushed brushes for this. Brush light strokes into
firmly into the canvas. dark for a rich blend of many different
Dothese exercises in monotone (one color values.
and white). Raw umber, burnt sienna, or Figure 6. A light tone and a dark are
Venetian red are more interesting to use pulled together with the soft-hair blender.
than black. Figure 7. A sable brush is loaded with a
Figure 1. Use a wide bristle brush full of light thick color and painted into a thin
paint. Flat backgrounds are quickly covered darker tone.
this way. Figure 8. A rich impasto effect is pro-
Figure 2. A band of full color and three duced by using thick paint (not thinned with
graduated tones of the same color. At the medium). Use a heavily loaded bristle brush
right, a soft-hair blender moistened with a for this.
little medium pulls the four tones together. Figure 9. The thin line or calligraphic
Figure 3. Use a smaller bristle brush for produced with the liner. Use a free
effect is
practice in following the curve of a flower. arm movement from the shoulder for this.

THE VERSATILE PALETTE KNIFE

Fresh, vital effects are part of palette ground. Use the small knife loaded with
knife technique. Be sure your blade is flex- paint and turn gently as you lift it.
ible, but not too flexible. It should have 3. Pure white paint is applied with the

spring. When the loaded knife is pressed into tip of the small knife to suggest blossoms and
the canvas, ridges of paint remain that may leaves.
produce interesting textures. 4. Designs can be scraped out of a thick
1. To fill a space quickly with color, use layer of paint with the tip of the palette
wide, flat strokes of the knife. knife. The scraping knife will produce a very
2. Light leaves are suggested over a dark thin line.

2:;
 -

—Cowper

BLOSSOMS AND LEAVES

ri work. Some modern

.s6 and 27. -

-. -
-

- -

line
•
i

- -.% -J.I.. ',t •:' .

•
•

-
fixa-
.._ ...

•
•

proaeh, by all means work directly on tab©

l

-- >._ ,',;-. ".. -.;•_..

- using -

. . .
-.-._

-
-

me, blending:
-
-

waefc J i.s and small

-

...... ...
 -

• -
•

S;

-
.
 Anemone. The tiny dark
ends of the stamens were here
applied thickly with dots of
pure umber on the tip of the
small palette knife.
The leaf. A small round
brush was used to indicate the
darker accents of the leaf
shown here.
Here again the large
Iris. Zinnia. The sharp, angular
round sable brush is best. The highlights on the flower were
veined effect was produced by put in by applying pressure
pressing down hard on one on a small palette knife. Pure
side of the loaded brush. white was used.
The leaf. This strong, fiat The leaf. Light veining on
leaf can be indicated well with the shadowed portion of the
a flat stroke of the palette leaf was scratched out with
knife. the tip of the scraping knife.
 w/

Phlox. Suggestions of the Violet. A petal can be paint- Tulip. The rather flat

individual blossoms in this ed with one stroke of a full planes of the can be
tulip

flower head were painted brush — turned and lifted for painted with a flat brush. The
with a flat brush. The brush a pointed petal, or pushed curve of the petal was indi-
can be turned slightly for nar- down for a rounded effect. cated with a slight turn of
row effects. The leaf. A sharp high- the brush.
The leaf. The delicate light maybe applied with the The leaf. The large soft-

stems were brushed in lightly palette knife after the leaf is hair blender was used to soft-

with the long, thin liner. painted. en sharp contrasts of tone.

27
 <

:j
/'W- >

The mysteries that rn/ts <>l /lowers enfold

And all the gorgeous sights which fairies do behold.
— Wordsworth

THE COMPLETE FLOWER

On these two pages, the flower and its leaf,

which were studied separately on the pre-
ceding pages, are combined as they would
grow in the garden —
to make a single grace-
ful sketch.
Paint each sketch on a separate panel if
you like but not too small! Add a bud or an
extra leaf or two for a pleasant composition.
A hint of tone in the background could be
helpful.
Use burnt sienna, Venetian red, or raw
umber combined with white, but do stay with
the monotone for the present. By painting
only in monotone, you avoid the problem of
establishing relative values of several differ-
ent colors. This fascinating subject will be
fully explored a little later.

*K#.

29
 W&r^

COMPOSITION
 ''
in '
'

»J1 ^Btim i

Otki r is important, but

factors. Proportion
there are many
other problems to consider
in a good composition. Balance, color, mass
and linear relationship are all part of it.
They cannot all be easily explained here.
But experience and a natural feeling for de-
sign will help.
Placement and balance. These four
sketches illustrate the different effects pro-
duced by moving our vase of flowers around
to different spots in the same rectangle. In
each case, it is the same vase of flowers in
the same proportion of two to one.
Figure 1. Here, the model fills the entire
space, producing an effect of great size.
Figure 2. The large amount of space left
around the model makes it look very small
and far away.
Figure 3. This is badly off balance. The
composition might be saved by adding an-
other object at the right which would pull
the eye back into the picture.
Figure 4. Here we have a satisfying
placement —
one that will not trouble the
restless eye. The relation between space and
mass is good. The vase is placed to the right
of center, and the flower mass is pulled over
toward the left for balance. (This composi-
tion would be equally well-balanced at the
left of the rectangle.)
Some unimportant detail may be cut off
at one side (in this figure, at the right), if
the mass is sufficiently well-balanced. But
avoid cutting the model off on two or three
Bides. To do so immediately scatters the in-
terest and the eye starts roving again.

:'A
LIGHTING
The way light falls on a subject has a
strong effect on composition. It changes not
only the color but also the weight of your
masses. In the painting of chrysanthemums
on this page (Figure 1), the light comes from
above throwing deep shadows on the vase
and on the table.
The three small sketches above illustrate
what happens to the same composition when
the light source is moved.
A. This shows the effect of side-lighting
on the same subject, placed in the same posi-
tion.The shadow now throws too much
weight toward the right. The model should
be moved to the left and perhaps a light tone
painted over the background for better
balance.
B. With back-lighting, help is also neces-
sary. A strong vertical at the left improves
this composition.
C. The strong shadows thrown back by
front-lighting require a strong tone in the
foreground as a counter-weight.
If the light is diffused, as it usually is out-
doors, shadows cast by a strong source of
light do not create a problem. The effect
then depends more on color values or con-
trast, as in the water lilies on page 33.
Back Light Side Light

Diffused Light Front Light

33
 TONAL VALUES

How dark is a deep red rose? Are its green

leaves a darker or lighter value than the
blossom? And the soft blue of the vase that
holds them — how does it compare with
both? If we think of the rose without its
color, we can see the flower as a very dark
gray, the leaves in a lighter tone, and the
vase a still lighter gray.
There are, of course, many intermediate
tones of gray in rose, leaf and vase, but these
needn't concern us too much now. Light,
dark, and two or three middle tones will
serve very well to create an effective impres-
sion of a rose. We don't intend to imitate the
camera but to study, in monotone, the differ-
ent values of our subject. When working in
color, thisknowledge will be a great help.
This study of white irises was made in full
color, but is easily separated into a few
monochromatic tone values.
The sketch shown below left was done in
Full Tone the medium tone with which paintings are
usually begun. In the next stage (below cen-
ter) the darker tone has been added and the
painting begins to take on form. In the sketch
shown below right, a lighter tone is used
to model the flowers. Note that the finished
painting (top) required little more than the
addition of highlights and a very dark tone
for emphasis.

One Tone Two Tones Three Tones

SCALE

The scale or relative size of various flow-

ers would seem to be an obvious thing. How-
ever, have seen some students, in their
I

enthusiasm, produce buttercups the size of

zinnias!
So, if you paint Mowers of differing sizes
together in the same arrangement, do keep
them in scale —
each in proper relation to
the other.
Poppies and forget-me-nots. Graceful,
silky poppies look larger combined with tiny
blue forget-me-nots.
Dahlias and nicotianas. The small white
stars of nicotiana are a pleasant foil for the
large purple dahlias.

POPPIES AND FORGET-ME-NOTS

DAHLIAS AND NICOTIANAS

35
 —

ARRANGEMENT

Arrangement is simply another word for

composition. Using flowers to create a com-
position gives one a wonderful head start,
for Nature herself is such a help.
Flower arrangement —
an art in its own
right —
has become almost universal. Gar-
den clubs everywhere give lessons in the art,
and there are many good books on the sub-
ject.

Notice the way one zinnia rises above an-

Arranging flowers to paint is not the same
thing. Very formal arrangements, exotic ef-
fects, and unusual combinations often look
well as part of the decor of a room, but are
seldom good subjects for a painting. I prefer
the informality of flowers as they grow in
the garden. It is difficult to create a poor ar-
rangement of flowers if you pay attention to
their natural growth.
other in a lovely stepladder arrangement
how three or four irises or gladioli, together
with their leaves, form a dramatic upright
panel. Nature is full of ideas for us. Selec-
tiveness is the one requirement, because she
is usually too generous.
Any container you may use becomes an im-
portant part of your composition. The size
and color should bear a definite relation to
the flowers it holds. Sometimes a vase, beau-
tiful in color, line, and decoration, may de-
stroy the effect of the flowers. Simple pottery
or glass containers are usually best.

\gfS
 Movement (left). Some flowers have such
natural grace and movement that they re-
quire little help. Here, petunias in a low bowl
flow outward, balanced by the mass at the
right.

Informality (above). Red geraniums in a

white bowl look beautiful in an informal ar-
rangement. The mass of green leaves at the
base holds the composition together.

Mass of varied forms (left). In this fin-

ished painting, brilliant colors balance each
other in a close arrangement. Scarlet poppies
and yellow marguerites predominate. The
airy delicacy of white baby's breath through-
out gives lightness to the mass. The vase is
pottery in ultramarine blue. Flowers and
vase are placed against a warm, orange back-
ground.
From the collection of Mr. & Mrs. Graham Place.

37
THREE ARRANGEMENTS OF NINE CHRYSANTHEMUMS

MNMM m mmm

Those not lucky enough to have a garden

usually have a pet florist, where flowers are
always in bloom. He generally has something
that can be bought quite reasonably that will
make the subject of an interesting painting.
Here are nine yellow chrysanthemums,
fresh from the shop, composed within three
different shapes.
1. Horizontal. With the stems cut short,

the flowers may be arranged in a low bowl,

with movement toward the right and mass
at left-center.
2. High narrow panel. Here the flowers
move up in the attractive ascending pattern
as they might have grown. The tall vase is
necessary for balance. (It also holds the long
stems.)

c 3. Standard rectangle. This is a simple

mass arrangement with the flowers placed in

a bowl whose shape completes the effect.
 " v*^
IF YOU CHOSE THIS ONE

This painting was made on

stretched canvas 16 x 22
inches. Compare it with the
sketch on page 38. Note the
five major changes that were
made in the composition as the
work progressed.
1. The vase is placed slight-

ly to the left of center.

2. The main flower mass is

pulled more toward the right.
Three of the yellow chrys-
3.

anthemums have become a

lovely russet color which adds
interest to the picture.
4. A few buds and some
leaves have been added.
5. Also there is now a sug-

gestion of table-top to support

the vase.
WHAT YOU LEAVE OUT IS
The two famous paintings on the facing
page form a fascinating study in contrasts.
Monet has left out so much and Pieter Faes
has left out nothing at all.
Impressionistic treatment. In his "Sun-
flowers," Monet has created a brilliant im-
pression of golden flowers in a white vase.
The shape of the flowers is suggested with
very little detail. But what is there is put on
with such knowledge of the structure and
growth of the blossoms that they still seem
to sway out in the bright sunshine of the
garden.
The strong green mass of the leaves in the
center holds the composition together. The
shape of each leaf is suggested, but not a vein
is visible.
The flowers that are turned away from the
eye give roundness and perspective to the
grouping. The color of those toward the back
of the arrangement is softer and more sub-
dued, to create an effect of distance and at-
IMPORTANT
mosphere. This is a great example of the im-
pressionistic technique.
Literal treatment. The still life by Pieter
Faes must have taken a long while to paint.
Everything is there. Each minute detail is
painted with the most loving care and with
infinite mastery —even to the tiny veining on
the fly's wing and the dewdrop on the rose
leaf.
Yet, in spite of the wonderfully faithful
treatment of each flower, there is no sugges-
tion of life. The bouquet is held in suspended
motion forever. That morning-glory has
never moved in the breeze, and the butterfly
will never hover over the rose.
To most modern eyes, the Monet is much
more satisfying than the Faes. Through the
power of suggestion, Monet gives the imagi-
nation something to work on. He evokes a
memory of flowers, of sunshine, of golden
summer days. What he has left out is very
important indeed.
SUXFLOWERS. MONET.
Tin Metropolitan Museum of
Art, bequest of Mrs. H. 0. Have-
meyer, 1929. The H. 0. Have-
meyer Collection.

STILL LIFE. FAES.

The Metropolitan Museum of
Art, bequest of Catharine D.
Wentworth, 1948.

COMBINING ALL ELEMENTS
So far, we have discussed virtually every
important element that will help to produce
—
a successful painting except color. That, of
course, is the most important element of all,
especially in painting flowers.
Before we start that fascinating subject,
I suggest that you try a painting in mono-
—
tone one that makes use of everything we
—
have considered up to this point sketching,
the use of brush and knife, composition, light-
ing, tone, scale, atmosphere, and perspective.
All these factors were considered in the
painting "Gaillardias and Larkspur" on the
facing page. It was done twice the size shown,
42
!
And all combin'd in beauty's worthiness.
—Marlowe
using raw umber and flake white on a primed
canvas board that had an extra coating of
white lead. The bare white canvas shows
through in spots, particularly in the vase and
in part of the background which is painted
rather thinly.
The flower petals were suggested with a
heavily loaded brush in strokes that follow
their shape. The airy lightness of baby's-
breath in the background was put in with the
tip of the small palette knife, using pure
white.
Now try this. Better yet, try an original
arrangement of your own. Then —on to color
GA1LLARDIAS
AXD LARKSPUR
 —
APPROACH TO COLOR

An intuitive sense of color is a blessed gift for instance, can be seen only in indirect
to —
anyone and most particularly to anyone light.That is why colors in a garden are al-
who wants to paint. However, the gift can ways more intense in the half-light of evening
mean very little without an understanding of or early morning.
the difference between the beauty of color in Some oil colors are transparent, some are
nature, and the behavior of color that comes opaque. This varies greatly in degree. Most
in tubes. transparent colors cannot be used effectively
In nature, light is the source of all colors in impasto unless mixed with an opaque color.
which she mixes with abandon in endless For example, alizarin crimson, a highly
glorious variations. Paint, however, is earth- transparent color of glowing red, looks al-
bound. It is made up of pigment —earths and most black if applied thickly. Viridian and
dyes, gum and oil, and other things that af- burnt sienna are two brilliant colors that look
fect each other in oddly different ways. dull when thickly applied. These are good
In order to produce clear, glowing can- colors to use for glazing, in which case they
vases, it is necessary to have some under- are diluted with medium and applied in thin
standing of these differences. Rich yellow washes.
paint squeezed from a tube and mixed with White lead, ochre,raw umber, Venetian
brilliant blue does not always produce the red, cerulean blue and black are all opaque.
beautiful green you expect. It can possibly Each color has many gradations from its
end as rich, brown mud, if you don't know darkest value to light, and from the full in-
which yellow and which blue to use or in — tensity of the pure color to pale tint. These
what quantities. Much of the knowledge of are the tonal values which we used earlier to
the behavior of pigment will come only with create a painting in monotone. Tonal values
constant experimentation. are just as important in full color.
There no space here to go far into the
is To build a painting, you need only to place
theory of color. That requires a book all by one spot of color or one tone against another.
itself. I can only touch on a few of the basic If you choose the right colors and the right
principles. tones, you will produce a good painting. This
1. A painting must have a dominant color sounds simple, and it will really become sim-
scheme. Even in painting a mixed bouquet of ple if you do enough of it. No one can tell you
vivid colors, there must be one over-all tonal- exactly which spot of color to place beside
ity. All other colors are built around this another. That is where personal vision takes
main scheme, contributing to the final effect. over.
2. Colors are either warm or cool. The 3. A painting can be built up with no
warm colors are the reds, the oranges, the blending of color simply by the juxtaposition
—
yellows the colors of fire. The cool colors of contrasting color or tone values —warm or
—
are the blues the color of ice and atmos- cool, brilliant or subdued, light or dark.
phere. The greens and violets are somewhere The Impressionists used this method to
in between. produce their shimmering canvases. In Poin-
As a general rule, warm colors advance and tillism, in which it was carried to its ultimate
cool colors recede. However, if warm, pure degree, small dots of pure color were placed
red placed beside a cool, pure blue, the two
is very close together to build an entire paint-
affect each other. The red recedes a little, ing.
and the blue advances. The Pointillists created form entirely with
Strong direct light has a powerful effect color dots. I don't suggest using this method.
on color. Falling on crimson or yellow, it will But do remember that color, as well asdraw-
change the highlights almost to white. The ing, builds form. Don't use color merely to
full, pure color (local color) of a red tulip, fill in an outline.
 : :

PRIMARY COLORS 2- sac o/VDAty col o/es

BLACK W///FE

3 - TONAL SCALE

Above is the familiar color wheel. Although By mixing the secondaries with the pri-
there are many farmore elaborate color maries we can get all the softer intermediate
charts, it is still the simplest way to show the colors. These are the tertiaries
absolute fundamentals of color theory.
Chart This shows the three primary
1. Red-Orange
colors — red, yellow, —
and blue from which, Red-Violet
in theory, you should be able to mix all the Blue-Violet
other colors. But don't try it with pigment. Blue-Green
You'll get some unlovely results. A mixture Yellow-Green
of the three primary colors should produce Yellow-Orange
black, but you'll find ivory black out of a tube
much more satisfactory. The complement of each color is the one
Chart 2. These are the secondaries. They directly opposite on the color wheel. Comple-
result from mixing each of the primaries with mentary colors placed side by side increase
its neighbor in intensity.Mixing them produces gray.
Red plus Yellow = Orange Chart 3. This shows the scale of tonal val-
Red plus Blue = Violet ues from black to white. For each color there
Blue plus Yellow = Green is a corresponding scale of tonal values.

45
 : :

-•VV
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tfotete&tZA
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BLACK
£} l\ \/0 f?Y

SETTING THE PALETTE

The sketch above shows how I like to set other objects kept on the palette to hold the
my palette and arrange my tools for work. pliofilm away from the paint.
My a sheet of plate glass laid
palette is For flower painting, we need most of the
over white paper, on a table of convenient brilliant colors that are often avoided for
height. This is placed at the left of my easel. other forms of still life and for portraits.
I find this much more convenient than hold- These are essential
ing a palette in my hand. Even when working Yellows: cadmium yellow-medium, cadmi-
outdoors, I look for a place to set my palette um orange, zinc yellow, Naples yellow, and
down. ochre.
Once established, the position of the colors Reds: vermilion, Venetian red, alizarin
on the palette should not be changed. This crimson, and burnt sienna.
avoids hunting around, or dipping into blue Blues Prussian blue, ultramarine, and ce-
:

instead of yellow. You know without looking rulean.

just where each color is placed. Greens: chromium oxide opaque, perma-
Use a generous coil of each color on your nent green-light, and viridian.
palette —
and an over-generous amount of Other colors: manganese violet, Mars vio-
white. Cleaning your palette after each paint- let, raw umber, ivory black, and a large tube
ing session will guarantee the clean, fresh of flake white.
colors so important for flower painting. Splurge on the following, if you like, but
Never use paint that has developed a hard, they are not really essential
dry film. Sometimes this may seem wasteful, Rose madder, Hansa yellow-light, manga-
if too much is left over. Some artists cover nese blue, cobalt blue, cobalt violet-light,
the palette with pliofilm to prevent harden- phthalocyanine green, emerald green, and
ing of the paint. They use medium cups and Mars brown.

46
 : —
MIXING YOUR COLORS
1 would strongly suggest that you do some
experimental color mixing before you use
any of those gorgeous colors on that fine
white canvas. It will be invaluable to find out
which colors combine well, and to discover
the great scale of values that it is possible to
produce with one color alone, as well as in
combination with two or three other colors.
Some colors, such as Venetian red, are very
strong and almost smother any other color
they are combined with. Other colors have
little influence. Some are heavy and opaque;
some are thin and almost transparent.
Consider and remember these general sug-
gestions before you start
1. Avoid mixing too thoroughly. The more
you mix, the more you reduce the luminous
quality of the resulting color.
2. You can often get exhilarating effects
by laying one pure color partially over an-
other.
3. White is important and is used with
most colors —but be careful! It can reduce
bright color to a dull pastel tint. Mix it in
lightly with a few strokes of the palette knife.
1. Do not dip here and there, hoping for
the best. You will undoubtedly get the worst.
Know what you're doing.
Get a good supply of canvas paper and try
these combinations. Try them with the pal-
ette knife and try them with the bristle
brushes for the different effects that are pos-
sible with each.
1. Cadium yellow and alizarin crimson.
Lightly blended, they produce a flaming red.
2. Zinc yellow, with its greenish cast, is
wonderful when brushed on top of vermilion
:
that has dried a little. Let some of the ver-
milion show. It is a singing combination
and just as good if the colors are reversed.
3. Be careful of the greens. They are often
too raw used straight from the tube. Try
these combinations for more subtle effects
Raw umber and cadmium yellow.
Prussian blue and burnt sienna.
Black and chrome yellow (produces a dark
green).
You will need a variety of pink tones. There
are so many pink flowers! Alizarin crimson
and white is the most obvious. But avoid
over-mixing, or you will get an unpleasant
purplish tint. Venetian red and white is a
warm pink. It is made even warmer by add-
ing Naples yellow. Vermilion with white is
good. So is a combination of burnt sienna,
yellow ochre, and white.
The backgrounds in flower paintings are
usually neutral to enhance the brilliance of
the blossoms. Pleasant variations of grayed
tones can be produced without using black:
Prussian blue, umber, and white.
Venetian red (very little of this!), Prus-
sian blue and white.
Umber and white.
Viridian, Venetian red and white.
After some experimentation with these
combinations and any others you would like
to try, it would be interesting to apply them
to the flower forms on pages 25-29.
Trace or sketch them lightly on the canvas
paper, and then apply the color. It will be ex-
cellent practice and will help to solve many
of the problems involved in a complete com-
position. Lots of fun, too!
17
 Guarded within the old red wall's embrace,
Marshalled like soldiers in gay company,
The tulips stand arrayed.
— Amy Lowell

&{m!

48
TULIPS Se< pages -,7-60.)

4Si
 There are nine and sixty ways
of constructing tribal lays,
And — every—single—one—of—
them— —right!
is
—Kipling

PAINTING METHODS

Above is a sketch of a peony, simply ren- flower painting. It is, as the name implies, a
dered in oil. On the opposite page you will painting of the subject first in neutral tones
see the effect that glazing and scumbling had and broad masses without detail.
on a part of this same painting. The tonal values should be neither too light
Imprimatura. This is really a stain or a nor too dark. The brilliant color is then ap-
very thin, transparent film of color laid on plied over this base rather thinly. I like this
the white ground. Though it is not essential method for portraits, but seldom use it for
in flower painting, it does tend to increase flower studies.
brilliance of the color by providing a colored Glazing. A a thin wash of a dark
glaze is
ground upon which to work. It may be left transparent color over lighter colors using
uncovered here and there by the overpaint- the painting medium as a thinner. It is used
ing. to darken tonal values or to bring into har-
Using turpentine as a thinner, the paint is mony dissimilar color effects. The underly-
applied rather like watercolor and need fol- ing color darkened but not obscured by a
is
low no particular pattern. I usually use ver- glaze, and should be fairly dry first. Thick
milion, cadmium yellow and viridian or Prus- color may be painted into a glaze while it is
sian blue. Do not mix the colors first. Simply still wet.
let them flow
freely together over the canvas. Scumbling. A scumble
is almost the oppo-
This coating dries rapidly as a rule, but I a glaze. Here, a thin light color is laid
site of
like to prepare several canvases at one time over a dark. Otherwise, the techniques are
for future use. similar.
Underpainting. This is not often used in Another method of applying a scumble is

50
 After glazing After scumbling

to use the color as it comes from the tube

without thinning. By dragging the brush full

of paint over the surface lightly, a pebbled
effect is produced. This gives a sparkling ef-
fect that is sometimes desirable.
Blending. This is done by moistening the
soft-hair blender with a little medium and
gently brushing two colors together to blend
and soften the edges.
Sometimes I use a flexible palette knife to
blend large areas. By moving the edge of the Wiping
palette knife lightly over heavy impasto, the
colors are blended and surplus paint removed.
This creates an attractive base for painting
accents and details.
Wiping. This can be helpful in creating
interesting soft effects. It is also useful for
correcting sections of poor painting.
Use a clean cloth dipped into a little tur-
pentine and apply it gently to the section you
want to lighten or remove. Landscape artists
sometimes use this method to create soft
cloud effects.
Scraping. Interesting backgrounds can be
produced this way. The paint is applied
thickly with the knife or brush. It is then
scraped with the edge of the knife. Scraping

51
 // a man could make a single rose
we should him an empire
give —
—Martin Luther

ROSES—TWO WAYS TO PAINT THEM

Here are two paintings of roses, one car- gested the form of the roses. It was left un-
ried much further than
the other. Both show touched, as an exercise in direct painting.
red, white, and pink flowers against a pale There was no blending, glazing, scraping or
neutral background. Each has its own special wiping.
interest. Choice is a matter of personal pref- The photograph shows the brush marks
erence. quite clearly and the impasto left in spots by
1. Direct painting.This was done on a the heavily loaded brush. The background is
small canvas (10 x 12 inches), using rather off-white with a hint of green. The whole ef-
large bristle brushes. The color was applied fect is rather quiet in spite of the bold ap-
freely and directly with strokes that sug- proach.

52
 2. Combined techniques. Here is a much
more carefully studied result. It was done on
Masonite, using sable brushes. The surface
was too smooth for bristle. Blending, scrap-
ing, and glazing all were used to produce a
much richer, more subtle effect. The palette
knife, too, played a small part here. It was
used chiefly for laying in the background
which was then scraped down and reworked
with a flat sable brush. The free calligraphic
effects were accomplished by using a script
liner.
53
 MORE ABOUT METHODS
Alia Prima. This is the method of complet-
—
ing a painting in one session of painting
wet paint into wet paint with no intervals of
waiting for one layer to dry.
This is particularly useful in flower paint-
ing because of the fragility of the model. You
can capture it all before the flower fades. It
requires a confident statement of purpose,
however, since there is no time to make
changes. The result may have a free and
sketchy charm, in which some accidental ef-
fects play a part. Part of the background
may be left unpainted.
Alia prima differs from the direct method
(as used in the painting of roses on page 52)
because blending, scraping, and wiping may
be used.
—
A rather smooth ground is desirable one
that allows the paint to move freely. A smooth
canvas or masonite panel is good. The proce-
dure is the same as in other methods of paint-
ing, but it generally requires at least three
to six hours of concentrated work. (Time out
for lunch, you must!)
if
Overpainting. This is done with several lay-
ers of paint applied one over the other at dif-
ferent intervals. Sometimes an interesting
and unexpected effect of depth and vitality
results.
54
The painting of marigolds on the opposite
page is an example of this method. The origi-
nal was completed in one session by the alia
prima method. After it dried, I felt it needed
improvement, so I repainted most of the can-
vas. But it was still unsatisfactory, so I put
it aside and forgot about it for six months.
Then, seeing it again with completely fresh
eyes, saw what it needed and completed it
I
very quickly. The overpowering background
was toned down and some strong shadows
were added at the right. The flowers in the
foreground were heightened in tone, and
some feathery grasses added. Now I had
something that satisfied me.
Discarded canvases that have proved un-
satisfactory (and this happens to the best of
artists) can often be completely overpainted
with an entirely different subject. Any heavy
impasto should first be scraped off with a
putty knife, or sandpapered.
Then turn the canvas upside down so the —
original subject won't influence you and—
proceed with confidence on a fresh idea. If
the original design is still too distracting,
give the canvas a coat of white paint before
you start over. However, there is always the
possibility that in time the underlying color
may affect the new painting.
 Open afresh your round of starry folds,
Ye ardent marigolds!
—Keats

MARIGOLDS AXD OAK LEAVES

55
CHECKLIST

We have now considered the chief problems

that have to be solved before you begin to
paint. You have assembled the materials and
done the preliminary exercises in sketching
and color mixing. You have a subject that
fills you with excitement and eagerness to

begin.
But take a minute first to check this list.
It isnot very long, and will become an uncon-
scious procedure the more you paint. If all
these points have been covered, then go ahead
—
and paint with confidence and boldness. You
will have a wonderful time.

Item
 ,
STEPS IN PAINTING TULIPS
The various steps used in painting the tu-
lips on page 49 will be explained in detail.
The brilliantly colored flowers were ar-
ranged in a simple, naturalistic way in a neu-
tral softgreen container.
Large sheets of paper in different colors
were successively tried as background. A
neutral gray was the final choice.
Several different lighting conditions were
then tried. To avoid too great a contrast in
light and shade, the model was finally moved
some distance away from the direct source of
light. This kept the local color practically un-
changed, yet enough light and shadow re-
mained to enhance the form.
The photograph above shows the model.
Several small sketches were made in pen-
cil to explore balance, emphasis, movement,
placement on the canvas.
Figure 2 seemed the most satisfactory, so
it was enlarged to full scale on heavy tracing
paper, using charcoal. The general form of
the flowers was roughly indicated. (A fairly
accurate drawing could be made at this point,
but I prefer to leave more freedom for the
painting.)
This sketch was then transferred to the
canvas. To do this, rub charcoal over the
back and use a hard pencil to trace it to the
canvas. Brush or blow off all surplus char-
coal, leaving only a faint outline, and spray
with fixative.
57

Figure 1. Chrome yellow, alizarin crimson
and Prussian blue were used for the imprima-
tur, which had been prepared several days
earlier. The faint charcoal tracing was
strengthened, using a fine camel hair brush,
or the liner, and a thin solution of ultrama-
rine blue and turpentine. This dries very
rapidly.
Figure 2. A thin film of oil medium was
brushed over the entire canvas, using a large
bristle brush. Any excess was blotted with a
clean cloth.
Working from the center of the mass, the
principal colors were blocked in. All values
were kept light and rather flat.
For the red tulips, alizarin crimson and
flake white were used. Chrome yellow and
white were chosen for the yellow ones and
for the dark tulips, ultramarine and manga-
nese violet, with a very little white added.
The green of the leaves was done with white
and chrome oxide green. (This is a powerful
color. A small amount goes a long way.)
A thin stain of Prussian blue was brushed
into the center of the mass to hold it together.
Some tentative background color was put on
with broad strokes of the palette knife.
It is always necessary to work on all parts
of a painting at the same time in order to
keep the various elements in proper relation
to each other. Flowers, container, and back-
ground should all be built up together. There
should be a complete picture at each working
stage.
Only bristle brushes were used with the
exception of the soft-hair blender) until the
painting was near completion. (Figure 4).
Figure 3. At this stage, the whole composi-
tion has been unified and all colors strength-
ened. The original imprimatura has been al-
most completely covered by the soft green
background, but enough is left in small areas
to add sparkle. The blender, moistened with
!
TULIPS— PROGRESSIVE STEPS
a little medium, has softened some edges and
pulled colors together.
Vermilion with a touch of white was used
to brighten the red tulips in the foreground.
Modeling of the yellow flowers was done with
ochre and a suggestion of umber. The greens
were varied with some Hooker's green-light
and Naples yellow.
The painting began to assume richness and
solidity. But the mass of blossoms at lower
right overbalanced the composition. This
was remedied by using the edge of the palette
knife to scrape off some of the heavy surface
paint. This softened and blended the section
so that it receded toward the background.
Figure 4. Here the painting is almost fin-
ished. All modeling, especially of the flowers
in the foreground, has been carried much fur-
ther. The flowers at the side were kept vague
in outline and subdued in color to give round-
ness and atmosphere to the mass.
At this point, I felt that the composition
and the color would be improved by adding
some soft blue phlox. The delicate small flow-
ers also created an interesting contrast in
scale with the brilliant stately tulips. An in-
distinct yellow tulip was added at top right.
The curved stems of all the flowers were
painted last with a sable brush, using zinc
yellow and Hooker's green-light. Sable
brushes were also used for such fine detail
as the pistils and stamens. Notice also that
the original pottery vase has turned to glass
and now shows a pattern of stems and water.
The completed painting appears on page
49. It shows that some heavy impasto was
added, using the palette knife, for sharp
highlights on the tulips in the foreground. A
few light petals were also applied to the phlox
with the tip of the small knife. Linear details
added with the script liner completed the
painting.
Now all it needed was the signature
 Photograph
Details of Tulips. The illustration above
shows quite clearly some of the techniques
used in painting the tulips. Where the color
isthinly applied, particularly in the back-
ground portions, the texture of the canvas
can be seen through the paint.
Note how the individual brush strokes fol-
low the direction of the petals, to suggest the
form of the flower. Note also that the lighter
tones are, in general, brushed over the dark.
60
—Actual size
The very heavy impasto highlights were
applied with the small knife, leaving deep
ridges of paint, thick enough to cast small
shadows. This technique helps to give
strength and solidity to the flower forms.
Some of the thin linear effects that were
brushed in with the script liner may also be
seen. These and some of the small details
such as pistils and stamens were the last
touches given to the painting.
EXPERIMENT IN
KNIFE PAINTING

This experiment in knife

painting was done on an ex-
tremely rough support.
A piece of left-over wall-
board 17 x 30 inches had just
the right proportions for a
painting of tall lilies in a high
glass pitcher.
I gave the panel two coats
of white lead. This still left a
ground too rough for brush-
work, but the knife proved a
perfect instrument for laying
on thick paint in broad
masses.
When the entire surface
was covered, the paint began
to move more freely so that
modeling the flowers was pos-
sible —
still using the knife. A

brush was used only for the

fine linear effects.
The rough texture of the
ground can be seen clearly in
the photograph.

TIGER LILIES AXD FUXKIAS

61
 .

Tin- lilac tall-growing with heart-

skap< ii leaves of rich grt > n,

With many pointed blossom rising

a
delicate with the pi rfurm strong I love,
With every leaf a miracl
— Whitman
W' A

TWO SEASONAL
ARRANGEMENTS

SPRING. From the collection of Mr. & Mrs. Neil Nessa.

Autumn (facing page). The golden glory Spring (above) Great masses of white and
.

of fall colorwas almost gone. But there were purple lilacs in a white pitcher bring spring
still few yellow maple leaves. These, with
a into the house —
and up into my studio. For
some berries and the seed-pods of bee balm, contrast, there is only the tender green of the
made a beautiful arrangement. young leaves. The effect is one of great fresh-
Chrome yellow, ochre and white were used ness that the black-and-white reproduction
for the leaves. The luscious red berries were hardly suggests.
painted with alizarin crimson. Ultramarine The flower heads were painted simply, the
was mixed with it for shadows. That is pure mass of tiny florets being suggested chiefly
vermilion in the foreground. Naples yellow, at their edges, with one or two painted in de-
ochre and umber were used for the seed-pods. tail here and there. Pure flake white was ap-
The background is a pale combination of Na- plied with the knife in the foreground. Re-
ples yellow, umber and white. duction in color values and vagueness of
Umber, white and ultramarine were used outline at both sides created atmosphere and
to paint the glass pitcher. The small picture helped to fill out the roundness of the whole
was added for balance. mass.

63
 IMAGINATION
AND FANTASY

From the collection of Mr. & Mrs. D. L. Combs.

Give your imagination a chance to play gray background of the still life shown at
with unusual ideas. Think of small pieces of upper left.
sculpture, driftwood and other attractive ob- Gilt cupids are half hidden in the dark
jects in relation to flowers.The four paint-
ings on these two pages gave me particular
green shadows of the background their —
form suggested chiefly by highlights. The
pleasure to paint. It was such fun to let fan- large white peony which so fascinates them
tasy take over. is painted with greenish shadows. Some of
Red geraniums growing from the drift- the light petals are indicated with heavy im-
wood are brilliant against the deserted, blue- pasto in pure white.

64
 Imagination, which, in truth.
Is butanother name for Absolute Power
And clearest insight, amplitude of mind,
And reason in her most exalted mood.
— Wordsworth

A bronze flower girl balances a basket of

white daisies on her head (above). She domi-
nates the shadowed hillside on which she
stands. The luminous yellow-green of the sky
is rarely seen in nature.

A Donatello angel is charmed by a pink

rose (right). The vague bouquet is tied with
blue ribbons and floats against a pale gold
sky. From the collection of Miss Helen Hayes.

MINOR MIRACLES OF DECORATION
The compelling magic of a single great
painting in a room cannot be denied. It cre-
ates a focal point of colorand content that
draws all eyes with irresistible force. The
color and furnishings of the room should be
built around it "frame" the picture
so as to
and show it to best advantage. Such a paint-
ing performs a major miracle.
To those of us not fortunate enough to own
a work by a master colorist, minor miracles
of decoration are still possible. A flower
painting in vibrant, glowing colors need not
be painted by a great master to have a magi-
cal effect on any room. Well framed and effec-
tively hung in a room of harmonizing colors,
it will be a center of interest —even if painted
with only average skill.
Groups of pictures, hung as a unit, are
often used by modern decorators. They should
have some harmonizing element to look well
together. This element can be color, subject,
shape, or framing. Two such groups in which
flowers are the harmonizing factor are shown
on pages 72 and 73.
Widely differing shapes are often effective
if the principles of composition are applied
when arranging them. The various shapes
must be carefully considered in relation to
each other for good balance and design.
Another effective way to use flowers as
decoration is to paint them directly on your
wall —
indoors or out. While traveling through
Bavaria some years ago, I was fascinated by
!
the colorful decorations painted on the white
walls of many houses.
The effect was so light and gay that I
decided to experiment with wall paintings
myself. The terrace of our old stone farm-
house had a fine, empty stucco wall. It is
broken by two doors and two windows. This
still left two generous areas of clean, white
space that seemed perfect for the purpose.
I decided to try some flowers painted in a
highly naturalistic way, so they would seem
to grow up the wall. The result is shown on
page 74.
It then became an interesting problem to
see what could be done in other parts of the
house with flower paintings.
Incidentally, I am not concerned here with
elaborate mural decorations. That is an en-
tirely different and far more complicated sub-
ject that has no place in this book.
I speak only of using certain wall areas,
instead of canvas, on which to create a paint-
ing. And I do mean literally a painting, with
—
depth and richness of color not a thin sten-
cil effect.
If it sounds too adventurous to paint di-
rectly on the beautiful fresh paint of your
wall, remember that in case of disaster it's a
simple matter to re-paint the wall
If your living room is painted in a subtle
or unusual color, it might be better to experi-
ment first in some less conspicuous area of
the house. A terrace, playroom, hall, or bath
 ! —
may have walls that would be enriched by a
painting.
To the experienced artist, the surface pre-
sents no problem. The wall is simply another
base for painting with, perhaps, some slightly
different and exciting problems to solve.
Magical effects can be created in narrow-
halls, dark corners, small spaces, by using the
"trompe l'oeil" or fooling-the-eye principle.
How do you go about painting a wall?
What materials are necessary? We are dis-
cussing only painting in oil colors on a wall
that is already primed with a coat of paint.
Painting on such a wall isn't much different
from painting on canvas. You proceed in the
same way from sketch to finished painting.
The materials are just the same. I have
used only my basic equipment for all the
paintings that are shown in this book. But you
will need a drop-cloth to protect the floor
and perhaps a step-stool.
Start with a clean wall. If it is an outside
wall, wash it down first with a sponge and
warm, soapy water. Spiders and mud-daubers
can move somewhere else
A wall covered withflat paint makes the
best working surface for a wall painting.
With charcoal, indicate the basic movement
and composition. Dust this lightly with a dry
cloth so that only faint outlines remain, then
spray it with fixative.
Give that part of the wall that is to be
painted a light film of oil medium or of lin-
seed oil. Then paint!
For wall paintings, use the paint rather
thinly and avoid heavy impasto. Use tur-
pentine as a thinner. It leaves a flat effect that
looks better than too much gloss in this sort
of work.
Do not use varnish over the finished work.
If your decoration is to be large or compli-
cated, you may prefer make a smaller
first to
preliminary sketch of your design on paper
or cardboard. In this way, you can work out
all your problems of composition and color
before you touch your wall. Then use the
sketch as a piece of copy from which to make
a free translation to your painting surface.
(You can tack your copy to the wall with
Scotch tape.)
If you prefer, you can make your sketch
exactly to scale —
for instance, 1 inch equals
1 foot. When the sketch is finished, rule it
lightly into squares. Your wall surface should
then be ruled into corresponding squares. You
then simply enlarge what you have in each
—
square of your sketch as indicated in the
illustration below-
Very large murals are done in this way.
I prefer more freedom, especially for flower
subjects. In fact, I usually work directly on
the wall with no preliminary sketch. How-
ever, if you are not quite sure of yourself,
then use a sketch. (As you go on, you may
prefer to work directly.)
It leaves a shiny spot on the wall that may
be unattractive.
Differences in wall textures approximate
those in canvas and other painting grounds.
They may be rough, smooth, or somewhere in
between.
On rough outside walls,you will need
chiefly bristle brushes and the blender. The
wall is too rigid to use the palette knife effec-
tively (except to lay in large areas of paint).
On smooth walls, you will also need your
sable brushes for fine work. Don't try to work
on a wall that has a high gloss unless you first
sandpaper the surface lightly to give it a little
tooth and texture.
67
The Dark Corni

The Narrow Stairway

 T

The Fire Screen

The dark corner (left, facing page). This The fire screen (above). This is an effective
design also was carried out in a tonality of way to cover the black hole of your fireplace
various greens. The walls in this case are a in the summer when it is not in use. The
dark gray. The color was kept warm and light screen was made of %-inch plywood with a
for contrast. smooth surface. The face of the fireplace was
A corner has many possibilities for
like this green, so the raw wood of the screen was
decoration. Anyof the large tropical plants given two coats of the same color to give the
or a flowering vine would be good. illusion of an unbroken surface.
The narrow stairway (right, facing page). The design was first worked out on tracing
This panel, painted in fairly realistic colors, paper from which it was transferred to the
proved a simple way to create an illusion of screen. It was then painted in the usual way,
depth and space. The eye follows the curving using only shades of green ranging from a
—
path which can be simply suggested with a very dark mixture of ultramarine and umber
border of flowers. The door helps the effect, to a pale tint of chrome oxide green, Naples
but is not essential in creating the illusion. yellow and white.
 The mirror. A painted swag of multi-
colored flowers hangs over an unframed
mirror. If the mirror is oval or rectangular,
the design can easily be adapted to a suitable
shape.
The dressing table (below). This was set in
a niche in a young girl's room. The two side
panels are painted with a variety of romantic
mementoes in rich, full color.

70
 Bath. Delicate sea plants sway gently
around an arrangement of shells painted on
the door of a bath or dressing room cabinet.

Kitchen (below). Many of the ordinary

herbs grow in delightful patterns and have
Rowers that make interesting decorations. On
the door of this kitchen cabinet, herbs were
combined with vegetables for a colorful panel.

71
 Photographed in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Graham Place.

12
 Photographed in the home of Mr. & Mrs. D. L. Combs.
WALL PANELS

Wall pond I (facingpage). Colorful flower Wall panel II (above). This lovely arrange-
paintings dominate this arrangement. They ments is composed entirely of flowers. They
frame a group of interesting small objects are represented in every possible color
collected by Mr. and Mrs. Place from different medium — water color, gouache, prints,
oil,
parts of the world. The fan-shaped metal even embroidery. Mrs. Combs has assembled
mirror, for instance, once belonged to an and arranged them with skill and taste. The
ancient Chinese emperor. You will note also tiny pattern in the gray wall paper makes an
a collection of tiny musical instruments. interesting background that helps to unify
The elements make a harmonious whole. the group.

7::
^^M l^r^i^M %%

CLEMATIS
THE TERRACE
Clematis (facing page). Purple clematis
blossoms on this terrace all year round! Their
—
freshness continues to delight the eye even
when all color is gone from the garden. When
snow covers the countryside, the effect is
particularly striking, as the clematis really
seems to grow and blossom even then.
The decoration at the left differs in shape
and movement from the one at the right,
adding to the realistic effect. The flowers are
simply painted with ultramarine and manga-
nese violet. The addition of white in varying
amounts creates the different values.
The greens are chrome oxide and Hooker's
green-light. Some zinc yellow was added in
the light areas, and a glaze of Prussian blue
for the shadowed portions.
Yellow roses (above). For a smaller space
on your wall, you might paint a bracket
holding a pot of flowers. This one was painted
green and holds a painted bowl of yellow
roses, naturally arranged as though they had
just been picked in the garden.
Such a spot would also look well beside a
door. If your wall has two narrow areas, two
such spots could be used effectively as a pair.
But don't repeat the same arrangement of the
flowers! Field flowers would be lovely used
this way— or a few branches of forsythia or
other flowering shrub.
75
A COLORFUL WELCOME
Flowers at your door the whole year round
radiate a feeling of warm hospitality. If your
climate, like mine, forbids fresh flowers all
year, consider these three ideas for painting
a colorful welcome at your door.
A jar or urn is filled with brilliant red
geraniums or any other favorite growing
plant (above). This fits well into a space that
might be inconvenient for a living plant. This
design would also help to brighten a foyer.
A branch of flowering dogwood or apple
blossoms is dramatically lighted at night by
the lantern at the front door (top, facing
page).
This white window box filled with petunias
is kept permanently in bloom in all the lovely
tones of pink and scarlet or blue and violet
(bottom, facing page).
 ><>
h

rfp-

L k * . 2x-

77
 —

TROMPE L'OEIL

Some of the suggestions on the preceding In this instance, the painting could be done
pages may have fooled the eye outdoors. in the studio on mounted canvas measured to
Here are some "trompe l'oeil" ideas for fit the space exactly. When it is finished, it

indoors. may be nailed in lightly at each corner this ;

Flowers and books (above). In this library,
books have made way for flowers. Perhaps
the eye might be fooled into thinking there's
a window here if the painting is realistic.
method has the advantage of mobility. Or the
painting could be done directly on the wall
—
with more freedom simply as a delightful
decoration.

78
 The narrow hall. The dead end of a hall
too narrow for furniture or other decoration
is a fine spot in which to paint a niche filled
with a variety of colorful flowers.

A passageicay. This is an open passage

that leads from house to terrace. One wall
was bare and made a good place to paint a
narrow shelf filled with African violets or
any other small flowers such as dwarf mari-
—
golds or geraniums.

7l<
 ^ rl fc PS W

CHICORY AND
WILD CARROT

"Of what are you afraid, my child?"

inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The floivers, they are wild,"
replied the timid creature.
—Peter Newell

INFINITE VARIETY

A garden is, of course, a source of endless form and color. House plants make excellent
joy and inspiration to a flower painter. But subjects, as do potted plants that can be
woods, fields and roadsides are also filled with forced far in advance of their natural growth.
subject matter. —
Models are everywhere and will stay still
Wildflowers, weeds and grasses, seed-pods, for you and (usually) demand no payment
whether green or dry, may have beautiful for their services.
patterns of growth. Look at them as though The brilliant blue stars of chicory, nestling
you had never seen them before. You may under a clump of lacy white wild carrot that
discover forms of which no one has ever been I saw while driving stayed in my memory.

aware. You may see something that will give
you that first stirring of excitement that is
the beginning of all creative effort.
In the city there are parks full of blossoms,
or flower vendors at the corner, and always
the florist's shops with their treasures of
They had to be painted. More like them were
easy to find later and bring into the studio
for the study shown above.
The green meadow grasses shown on the
facing page form lovely radiating patterns,
together with their burrs of soft gold.

80
 Young playmates of the rose and daffodil,
Be careful ere ye enter in, to fill
Your basket high
With fennel green, and balm, and golden pine,
Savory, letter-mint, and columbine.
—Keats

The Gift. Perhaps the garden has been

ravaged by this offering, but, fortunately,
flowers will bloom again.
Flowers and children seem to be a natural
combination, although flowers and adults
have also been used together in many famous
paintings.

82
*>
 &^~

SUBJECTS EVERYWHERE

Blossoms. The huge flowers of Magnolia

Soulanger are so dramatic that only two
blossoms were needed for this panel (above).
The purple-rose shade of the blossoms and
the shining green of the leaves needed only
a suggestion of gray-green shadow.
The greenhouse. The riot of growth and
color in a greenhouse is always a challenge.
To use it as a subject for painting demands
firmness and determination. (Here, if any-
where, what you leave out is important!)
There are so many distracting elements that
must be eliminated or controlled in order to
make a satisfying composition.
House plants. Most flower lovers have y\ 4riK
plenty of indoor subjects for a painting.
Plants on a window sill — with sunlight
forming unusual patterns of light and shade
— make a fascinating study. A wrought-iron
stand that holds a few pots of colorful bloom
can also light that creative spark.
/,-$.
-j'//^^\/!'
\
v
THE GREESHOUSE

HOUSE PLAXTS

V>
PEONIES
PAINTING OUT-OF-DOORS

Most flower paintings can be done more

successfully in the studio than out-of-doors.
In the studio there are no distractions from
insects —
and other forms of wild life no un-
solicited criticism from fascinated onlookers.
Indoors, lighting effects can be controlled.
Shifting effects of light and shade may be
dramatic, but they create problems. Sudden
rainstorm may spring up. Then, too, there is
the great wealth and abundance of material
from which "the heart of the matter" must
be selected.
However, there are also many rewards for
working outdoors. There is the pure joy of
working in sunlight and in air that is warm
and filled with the perfume of flowers.
There is the need to choose the essence of
—
your subject of cutting through a profusion
of distracting detail in order to create a con-
trolled effect. That is a distinct benefit. Also
there is the need to work rapidly before the
shifting light changes everything.
These matters of judgment are not always
easy to solve in a hurry, but the need to solve
them quickly and effectively is wonderful
discipline for a painter.
The equipment you need is simple. An
inexpensive sketch box large enough to hold
several canvas panels, a palette, brushes,
palette knife, mediums and the basic colors
are enough.
A simple folding easel and a stool will
complete the materials needed. A kitchen
chair can serve as an easel —
if you can find
a convenient rock to sit on. A convenient tree
will make a steady easel. Your panel can rest
—
on two large push-pins which will do the
tree no harm.
 1. The outdoor sketch. For this, thin
stains of color were used. They indicate
in a very sketchy manner the principal
divisions of form and tone. Its simple
directness gives it a pleasingquality just
as it stands.

2. The finished painting. From the

quick sketch, a finished painting was
later made in the studio. Values were
carefully built up to produce a feeling
of richness in the dark background and
provide contrast for the delicate fragility
of the flowers.
 And the scent of the ivood is sweet
On this hot summer morning.
—Amy Lowell

Early spring. This outdoor sketch

needs a focal point. Some further work
in the studio would be necessary to
strengthen the daffodils at the center,
which are here barely indicated.

Under the oak tree. A pleasant wood-

land effect was obtained in this sketch.
It can be left without any further work
in the studio.

Pink Monardas. The pink flowers and

strong green leaves of this plant were
striking against a gray wall. Detail in
the flowers and an effect of sunlight
were added later in the studio.

90
 EARLY SPRIXG

UXDER THE OAK TREE PIXK UOXARDAS

91
 REALISM OR ABSTRACTION?
What is the place of abstraction in this
book on flower painting? I will make no effort
to explain, defend or decry it. But abstraction
is a subject impossible to ignore in a period
when three out of four artists are completely
absorbed by it.
Let me simply quote Wassily Kandinsky,
who began the whole thing in 1910: "The
—
observer must look at the picture as form
—
and color combinations as a graphic repre-
sentation of a mood and not as a representa-
tion of objects."
I've never heard it explained better. As a
matter of fact, even the realist is chiefly con-
cerned with "form and color combinations,"
but he uses them to create an impression or
92
a fairly literal representation of an object.
My personal approach is somewhere in the
middle, as shown by the examples in this
book. However, I have found the work of
some abstract painters very satisfying. So,
with my mind wide open, I've experimented
a little myself. It's not as easy as it looks, as
you will discover if you try it.
Figure 1. Yellow calla lilies and white lilacs
in a green glass vase against a gray ground
were painted in a fairly realistic manner.
Figure 2. A memory of this subject pro-
vided the basis for this abstraction. The form
and color have been broken up into separate,
distinct elements. They are completely
changed
and re-arranged to satisfy a temporary mood.
 !

SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT

This really is our old friend Composition

once more. The abstract artist also manipu-
lates form and space to create an arrange-
ment that satisfies the eye. He may not use
flowers in a vase, as we did on pages 32 and
33, but the principle is exactly the same.
In abstract art, composition, or spatial
arrangement, is a matter of balancing one
—
shape against another a small mass of
strong color against a large area of lighter
tone, or line against mass. Accidental effects
and unusual textures play a part.
You will findinteresting to see what you
it

can do with the creation of pure form. Try

a number of small sketches in any medium
—
you please. Start anywhere with a line, a
dot, a circle. For instance, using scrap paper
and a soft pencil, I tried several divisions of
a rectangle (above).
Figure 3. An arrangement of rectangle D
became this on canvas. The final result is
shown in color on page 95. You will see that
my subconscious mind came right back to
flower forms
Figure4. For this I tried balancingblocks of
color directly on a small canvas. The finished
canvas is also shown on page 95. It, too, ended
up as a painting of flowers!
BREAK AWAY FROM REALISM

It is obvious by now that I am not an Figure 1. The branch of apple blossoms that
abstract painter. But sometimes I find that a was the starting point for this experiment
break away from representation is interest- was re-arranged in a number of different
ing and challenging, even if it is only done as patterns. This painting was the final result.
an exercise or in a completely experimental The original inspiration is partly recog-
way. nizable, but the result is very far from
Let me remind you once again that virtually realism.
—
every distinguished artist no matter what Figure 2. In this painting, one blossom was
his method of seeing and painting began — enormously enlarged and its form arbitrarily
witV> a classical background of drawing and changed. All parts of the blossom and its
painting. You need this knowledge before leaves became angular and pointed. The
you can take off in any personal form of ex- golden stamens turned into a few sharp,
pression. black accents.
Xo idea is so modern that it will not some day be antiquated.
— Ellen Glasgow
 Only the flower sanctifies the vase.
— Robert Underwood Johnson

CONTAINERS

Almost any container can be used to show
the —
beauty of flowers from the simplest
baking dish in the kitchen to a priceless
Chinese vase. As a general rule, however, the
simpler the holder, the lovelier the flowers
look.
Pottery. A
plain, glazed pottery vase in
white, gray, or a soft pastel tint will never
steal the spotlight from the flowers it holds
but will always show them to advantage.
Glass. Glass containers, clear or in one of
the lovely smoky colors, run a close second to
plain pottery. Often the painting of stems
in water is an important part of the whole
picture.
Decorative vases. Certainly there is
limit to the unusual, distinctive containers
that can be used to create satisfying ar-
rangements. The important thing is harmony
—
between container and flowers harmony in
color, size and shape. It is really our old
friend Composition once again.
Tawny fall chrysanthemums in a copper
bowl are a delight to the eye. A simple silver
pitcher can be filled with pink roses. The rich
blue of an old Staffordshire soup tureen is a
wonderful foil for white peonies.
Bronze, stoneware, and wood containers can
allbe used effectively in a variety of ways.
Try out your own skill and ability to create a
combination that you want very much to put
no on canvas.

96
Glass

Decorative Vases

'.'7
BACKGROUND MATERIALS AND ACCESSORIES

A good general rule for backgrounds is

"Keep it simple." Give the flowers a chance to

shine They are seldom helped by the addition

!

of conflicting elements or colors. However,

like all good rules, it should be broken at
times.
Drapery. As background material, I like
drapery (usually without any pattern) of
some harmonizing color. This can be pinned
to the wall with push-pins or draped over a
screen or chair back.
Screens. The screen is also good if you
want to show one or two different planes of
light or shadow behind the model.
Colored paper. I keep a supply of large
sheets of paper in many different colors. Try
—
holding these behind the flowers or as a base
for the container to stand on. Many different
color combinations can be tried out this way
before you touch your canvas.
Mirrors. Sometimes flowers reflected in a
mirror are doubly effective. The mirror may
also give a hint of depth or contrasting color.
Small sculptures. Small figures, pieces of
pottery, or a fan, may all help to stir your
imagination and add interest to an arrange-
ment.
The four paintings on pages 64 and 65 all
started with objects I had picked up at vari-
ous times because their shapes or their tex-
—
tures pleased me the gilt cherubs, the piece
of driftwood, the bronze flower girl.
Miscellaneous. Sea shells, dried weeds, a
—
mask, books the list is endless. You can use
anything with flowers. But don't forget the
first rule "Keep it simple !"
:
 :
Inadequate Framing
FRAMING
Does the frame help or hinder? The quality
of a painting can be cheapened or enriched
by the frame you select for Study your
it.
painting carefully. Consider its color and its
tone. Is it rich and warm, or cool and quiet?
The frame will become an integral part of
your picture, so give it the same care and
study that you devoted to the painting itself.
The frame must meet these requirements
1. It must hold and protect the painting.
2. It must be in harmony with the color,
size, and subject of the painting.
3. It should be handsome in itself, but not
obtrusive. It should increase interest in
the painting, not detract from it.
Fine framing is an art. A good professional
framer has many resources in material, de-
sign, and texture. His skill and experience
can usually suggest a frame that will bring
out the finest qualities in a painting.
 Good Framing

Inadequate framing (facing page). The

painting is minimized by the narrow molding.
The color values are flattened so that the
picture lacks interest and has a poster-like
quality.
Good framing (above). The white-and-
gold frame gives depth and richness to the
same painting. The frame is wide enough to
add importance to the picture and still not
compete with it.

101
 :
MORE ABOUT FRAMING
Unfortunately, fine frames are expensive.
However, you can produce very effective ones
yourself. Almost every household has a few
old frames in the attic or the cellar that can
be refinished with excellent results. If you
are lucky, you may still find some at bargain
prices in second-hand shops. Department
stores often have bargain sales of stock
frames. It pays to buy several for future use.
Most art supply stores carry inexpensive
wooden frames that need only finishing. If
you like, they can be ornamented with one of
the simple decorative moldings or headings
available at your local lumberyard. Glue them
on before you paint the frame.
If you or some member of your family have
some skill in carpentry, you can make frames
from old pine or chestnut boards. These may
need only a little waxing, since the patina of
old wood is usually very beautiful. As I have
no such skill, I will confine myself to a few
ideas for finishing old (or new) frames.
The requirements are simple
1. A few tubes of casein paint; white,
umber, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and
Venetian red.
2. A can of gold spray. (Gold leaf is better,
but I find it rather trying to apply.)
3. Some small cans for mixing colors.
4. Clean cloths and sandpaper.
With these materials, an old gilt frame can
be made to harmonize with any painting.
Its heavy ornamentation, when covered with
pale color, will become light and graceful.
Make a thin wash of casein by mixing
umber and white. If you want a warmer tone,
add a little yellow ochre or burnt sienna.
102
Paint this mixture over the entire frame,
being sure to get down into all the depressions
and corners of the carving. Let this dry for
five or ten minutes; then, with a clean dry
cloth, rub over the surface to expose some of
the gold. Some of my favorite frames were
treated this way.
If you prefer to leave the frame in mono-
tone, with no gold showing, you will have to
apply a thicker coating of the casein. You can
add any color you wish to the white casein to
produce a tint that will harmonize with your
painting.
Unfinished wood frames can be treated in
the same way.
Sometimes it is effective to paint a stripe
or band of color on the frame which repeats
a hue in the painting. A gold molding may
also be effective on a plain frame. I use gold
spray for this.But handle it with care! Be
sure to cover with masking tape any portions
of the frame you don't want gilded.
Later, if you want to change the color of a
frame tinted with casein, it is a simple matter
to paint over it. Some of the color might be
removed first by scrubbing with water and a
stiffbrush.
Any discussion of framing must include the
very narrow band or strip framing that is
often used on modern paintings. These are
thin, narrow strips of wood tacked directly to
the edges of the painting. Sometimes they are
left unfinished, sometimes gilded. They are
best used only on large, flat abstractions. In
my opinion, they tend to devaluate most other
paintings. Flowers painted in oils look much
better in wider frames.
 Overpowering

Restrained

Overpowering (upper). Here the frame

fights the painting for attention —and wins.
It is much too elaborate and deeply carved to
do justice to the zinnias.
Restrained (lower). This rather simple
frame enhances the rich variety of color in the
zinnias. It has narrow gold moldings and a
The frame has sufficient
neutral linen liner.
width to add importance to the painting.
 A room hung with pictin is a room hung with thoughts.
—Sir Joshua Reynolds

HANGING YOUR WORK

There is a big difference between hanging Vertical arrangement. A vertical arrange-

a painting and "just hanging it up." Hanging ment of several paintings the same size may
a picture requires thought. The color scheme be the right thing for a high, narrow space.
and scale of a room, as well as its furnishings For the best effect, these should be framed
should be considered. The room should not alike. In this case, if the pictures are simple,
—
swallow the painting or vice versa. even narrow strip framing might look well
One dominant picture. One large colorful (see facing page).
picture, used in a small room can have Lighting. The lighting of the picture is

dramatic impact if the walls are kept neutral most important. As a rule, oil paintings look
in tone and the room is uncluttered with best when the light falls on them from above
furniture. or from the side. Most artists paint with the
Group arrangement. For larger walls, you light coming from the left. If you can approxi-
may want to consider a group arrangement, mate the same source of light, it will prevent
such as one of those on pages 72 and 73. unpleasant reflections on the surface of the
Professional decorators use what is literally painting.
a down-to-earth approach for this. They plan Proper height. Don't forget that paintings
the whole thing on the floor. By using the are hung to be seen. They should be hung
same space, they can plan the entire composi- low enough to be enjoyed by a person of
tion, placing each picture effectively. It is far average height even when seated.
easier to re-arrange pictures on the floor than Pictures in every room. Hang your paint-
it is on a wall —and you avoid unsightly nail ings in every room of the house not ex- —
holes in the wrong places. An imaginary rec- cepting the bathroom and kitchen.
tangle will help to make
a unit out of irregu- Change your pictures. Change them around
lar sizes or objects used together. occasionally for variety and, incidentally, to
Horizontal arrangement. A group of paint- test your latest painting. Hanging it in the
ings of different sizes may be hung in a hori- living room is an excellent way to judge it
zontal line over a sofa or bookshelf. Line them and to see whether it can be improved in
up at the bottom. any way.
 Lay youi gi oup
on the ilnni .

3
2
;

n Frame alike.

Line up the bases

aj jBfl .
 A PLACE TO WORK

A room of your own —

call it a studio if your paints and brushes undisturbed. If an
you like —
where you can paint undisturbed, entire room — no matter how small —is im-
is the ideal. possible, then perhaps a corner can be
All the paraphernalia connected with oil screened off somewhere. At least there must
painting can be difficult if you have to work be a large closet that locks and has shelves
in a corner of the living room. A smear of to hold everything.
Prussian blue on a beige rug, for instance, Have you considered the attic? The attic
or an experiment with white lead that wasn't of our farm house became a wonderful
good for baby's digestion, may be dishearten- studio when a skylight was set into the roof.
ing. Insulation, a few shelves and some paint
Once you are caught up in this seductive were all it needed to make it a fine workshop.
business of painting, you will paint anywhere On the opposite page are listed a few of
if you have to. But I strongly advise a place the things that are most useful in planning
of your own — a place where you can leave a studio.

BUDGET YOUR TIME

A young mother once told me: "My chil-
dren are in rags —
my husband is starving
— and my house is a shambles since I started
painting. I spend all my time at it."
I can't really advise part-time painters to
follow her example. However, you will find it
useful to follow some sort of regular sched-
ule that fits into your other activities.
Thetime available to the "week-end
painter" is, I realize, necessarily limited. But
even in two four- or five-hour periods of con-
centrated work every week a great deal can
be accomplished. Obviously, the more time
you devote to your easel, the swifter your
advancement.
Even if household or other duties are de-
manding, firmly put aside two or three morn-
ings a week to paint. Don't let seeming lack
of time rob you of the absorbing joy of just
the very act of painting.

106
 Daylight. North light is best. It should
come from your left (unless you are left-
handed). The ideal, of course, is a skylight
with shades that can be pulled up from the
bottom to regulate the amount of light. A
large north window will also do very well.
Artificial light. Colors may appear slightly
different, but if you work by artificial light
only, that will not matter. If you use incan-
descent bulbs, be sure they are the daylight
type. Your colors will be truer. And don't get
less than a 150-watt bulb.
If you prefer fluorescent light, consult
your electrical supply dealer about the best
type to use. Colors tend to look washed out
under certain types of tubes.
Easel. A strong, heavy easel is preferable.
However, a light sketching easel will do —
if it's steady. It can also be used for outdoor
work. All else failing, a strong kitchen chair
can be pressed into service as a substitute.
Cabinet. A small cabinet of a convenient
height to hold your palette is a necessity. It
should have drawers or shelves underneath
for your tubes of color.
Shelves. These are essential for materials,
art books, accessories, and all the things that
will accumulate.
Peg Board. A wall, or a generous area of
wall space, covered with this material is in-
valuable. It will soon be crowded with your
work — finished and unfinished.
High stool. I usually stand while painting
so I can step back easily to get perspective on
my work. But at times my high stool is very
welcome indeed.
Racks. If space permits, I would suggest
both horizontal and vertical racks. Horizon-
tal racks are better for drawing board or
panels that may warp if stored on end. Ver-
tical racks are more convenient for storing
prepared cavases and frames and for paint-
ings you wish to set aside for a while.

107
 -

SOME GENERAL INFORMATION

judge
7 if it
-

-..Tie it,

tm a while. After

ething
would make
-

am. Take this le You

gnat deal of it

:'il. We all thrive on it —

i
-ally if
if * -

. >-re painting a* you do

(Thta because you ferae to — because ffcrt is the

I refe.- 09*"* A,* « hoarder. The first tinv

I like that. Will you sell
it to M : .l means — even if
l flow- offered or ;*rs. ff your
work is good, it will soon sell for more sub-
stantial figures.
-old a The important thing is that some other

-
.--.ething of what you have
raeettl tried to put into it :'riends have
B self-
if iftm 'ire uncertain. If t«w tiling ./ hanging 0)

alL And self -con fide nee .

rioly important to the artist.

GARDES AT SIGHT

Jill X

109
 !

NOW BE YOURSELF!

Winston Churchill, in the quotation on complete understanding of the tools and the
the facing page, has said almost everything processes of painting.
I would say to you at this point. He
like to Flowers and the way I go about painting
says it in his matchless prose, and I urge you them has been the subject —
because I love
to read his entire book on the subject — them. Having come this far with me, you, I
Painting as a Pastime. It is very short and feel sure, must share this feeling.
you will find that every sentence is an in- For every single painter —
student, part-
spiration. time painter, or professional —
there is a
As for me,hope that there is no longer
I way to see and a way to paint. Now it's up
any question in your mind about the way to to you to find your own method of expression
start a painting and to carry on with it until — to put on canvas the flower the way you
it is finished. see it at this moment.
That is what this book is all about to— Be bold. Be confident. Be yourself —and
give you the confidence that comes from a have a wonderful time

110
 / have written in this way to show how varied
are the delights which may be gained by those
who enter hopefully and thoughtfully upon the
pathway of painting; how enriched they will be
in their daily vision, how fortified in their inde-
pendence, how happy in their leisure.
Whether you feel that your soul is pleased by
the conception or contemplation of harmonies, or
that your mind is stimulated by the aspect of
magnificent problems, or whether you are con-
tent to find fun in trying to observe and depict
the jolly things you see, the vistas of possibility
are limited only by the shortness of life.
Every day you may make progress. Every step
may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out be-
fore you an ever-lengthening, ever-improving
path. You know you will never get to the end of
the journey. But this, so far from discouraging,
only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.
— Winston S. Churchill

The above quotation from Painting as a Pastime first

appeared in Amid These Storms by Winston S. Churchill
(copyright 1932 Charles Seribner's Sons; renewal copy-
right 1960 Winston S. Churchill) and is used here by
permission of Charles Seribner's Sons.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Technical Handbook of Plant and Floral Ornament

The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques by Richard G. Hatton, Dover Publications, New York.
by Ralph Mayer, Viking Press, New York.
Line drawings fr
The Painter's Question and Answer book
by Frederic Taubes, Watson-Guptill, New York. Japanese Painting
by H. P. Bowie, Dover Publications, New York.
These two answer most technical questions.
Instruction in the Japanese method of painting.

Oil Painting, Traditional and New

by Leonard Brooks, Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York.

A mine of information.

General Painting as a Pastime

A Book of Wildflowers by Winston Churchill, Cornerstone Library, New York.
by Elsa Felsko, Thomas Yoseloff, New York.
Full of the joy of painting.
Beautiful detailed drawings in color.
A Pot With Feeling
—
Bouquet A Galaxy of Flower Paintings by Emanie Arling, Erikson, Taplinger, New York.
by G. S. Whittet, Studio Publications, London & New York.
Fun to read.
Fine color reproductions of flower paintings by various
artists. The Shape of Content
by Ben Shahn, Harvard University Press, Cambridge
Enjoying Modern Art
by Sarah Newmeyer, Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York
Very stimulating.
A simple explanation.
The Technique of Flower Painting
Flower Arrangements In Color by Esther Borough Johnson, Pitman & Sons, Ltd., London.
by Violet Stevenson, The Viking Press, New York.
Many color reproductions.
Good color photographs of flower arrangements.
What Is Modern Painting?
Flower Paintings by the Great Masters by Alfred H. Barr, Jr., The Museum of Modern Art
Pocket Books, Inc., New York. New York.
Small book of great paintings. Short, simply explained.

112
After a highly successful career as a
commercial artist, Clara Barnes took up
oil painting and now devotes her full time
to this fascinating medium. She lives in

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in a stone

farmhouse that dates back to 1730. In
addition to exhibiting her work and
participating in the county's art activi-
ties, she is kept busy executing commis-
sions in her favorite fields — flowers and
portraits.
Previously, Mrs. Barnes did advertis-
ing, fashion, and book illustration under
the name of Clara Ernst. She graduated
from the School of Industrial Art, Phila-
delphia, and later studied at the Penn-
sylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the
Art Students League of New York. Be-
fore entering the commercial field, she
was a teacher of art.

Reinhold Publishing Corporation

 Another Reinhold Book on Flower Painting

Flower Painting
inWatercolor
MARIO COOPER by
', Mario Cooper's method of painting and instruction is a simplification
of traditional Japanese Sumi-e brushwork and masterful technique.
Throughout the text, the author stresses the importance of a con-
trolled brush. You are instructed in the skillful handling of the square
short-haired brush, learning to exploit its many possible applications
in the creation of form and color.
Each step is clearly defined for you. Even working with watercolor
the many step*: ' for the first time, you will have no difficulty learning to paint flowers
ce-t-st'ations
through this easy-to-follow technique. The most difficult phases of
:

the dry and 'in wef

,,2-5':: :- te:-- :-; =

it # 2. After sufficient
drying, apply definitive
strokes witti slightly
flower painting are clarified for you: composition, perspective, light
against dark and dark against light.
The book has been
300 illustrations are
exquisitely printed on special paper. 19 of the
in brilliant color, reproduced to maintain the
wet brush quality of the original drawings and paintings. Included also are many
3. Blending, softening
of hardened edges, with
helpful charts and diagrams.
slightly wet brush
Painting the funnel
4.
of the flower, add richer
Learn the form and color of many flowers from basic shape to properly
paint to establish dark mixed pigments Daisy Rose Iris Gladiola Pussy Willow
area; final details are
added with a dry' brush White Flower Lilac Fern Anemone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The face I ands of the clock
show you where the brush
begin. As the hand of the
moves, so does your brush,
the hand of the clock to m<
proper strokes for all
leaves and flowers.
Having already distinguished
himself as illustrator, painter,
sculptor, teacher and art direc-
tor, Mario Cooper, with this
book, now adds writing to his
remarkably diverse career in
the arts. His awards include
four coveted prizes from the
American Watercolor Society,
and prizes from the Allied
Artists of America, the
National Academy of Design,
and Anderson Artists. A
teacher at New York City's Art
Students' League. Mr Cooper
is currently president of the
kii American Watercolor Society.

Every painting of a flower starts with the basic shape,

which is here analyzed and presented in simple-to-
geometric forms.

in size, 144 pp., 300 illustrations, 19 in color, $10.00