Rose Study

                                                    
                                                          Valentine's Day
                                                                9 x 12
                                                   Oil Painting by Pat Fiorello


You don't have to set your sights on completing a major painting each time you get into the studio. Sometimes it's a nice break to simplify something and do a quick study. I was lucky enough to get a bouquet of 2 dozen beautiful roses from my husband this Valentines' Day. Instead of trying to tackle the whole bouquet of 24 flowers, I pulled out 3 roses, arranged them with a little device I have that allows me to clip the flowers in various positions ( I think I got it years ago for a botanical illustration class I once took). I set the flower grouping on a simple cloth, put a light on it and painted the study shown above. It was a good practice to  focus on the roses without necessarily adding the complexity of a more elaborate still life set up. Plus I have a remembrance of this Valentine's day I can keep long after the real flowers are gone.

                                         Photo's of set up for Valentine's Day study