Painting a Slipper Orchid Part 2.

Hi, The painting of my Slipper Orchid is progressing well and I have finished the first flower. I have had to stop at this stage as I have a painting of a Fritillary to do for a friend. I added details to the side petals and the main slipper shaped section using a mix of carmine genuine, cadmium yellow light and ultramarine deep. I laid the paint on gently building up the colour in the areas that I wanted to make darker. I softened the edges with a damp brush to blend them into the first washes.

I lifted the highlights out as I applied the washes to create the effect of light hitting the plant. I then painted the centre of the plant using a mix of cadmium yellow light and cadmium orange. I then mixed a botanical grey using a mix of cadmium orange and ultramarine deep with a tiny amount of manganese violet. This makes a very soft grey that is ideal for shading the back petal enhancing the creases and folds. I applied the paint and softened the edges. I also used this colour mix to shade the centre of the flower. The final stage was to add the lovely dots and markings and then the fine hairs. I managed to complete the markings using a mix of manganese violet, carmine genuine and a tiny amount of cadmium yellow light. I did not have time to add the hairs to the flower. I will complete these when I have finished the Fritillary painting.

Hopefully I will be able to complete the painting. Orchid flowers last for a long time.

The Fritillary painting is developing nicely and should be completed in a couple of days. I can then return to my Orchids.