Painting An Acrylic Trio Using Black & White Contrast

We paint a set of three flower pots in today's blog, using acrylic paint and ink. What makes this an interesting project is that we use the sharply contrasting colours of black and white in all three vases. We need to be very careful when creating shadows and highlights that will help create the illusion of rounded vases. I show you how to do this in today's blog.

We start today's project on 3 deep-framed stretched canvasses that has already been triple-primed. The canvasses each measure 5" x 7", or +/- 13 x 18 cm.

I start by selecting some bright and happy colours for the bases of the canvasses, painting the sides and bottom of the canvasses as well.

Some more vibrant colours are then painted at the tops of the canvasses, once more wrapping the paper around the edges.

I use a black marker to draw the vases and the flowers on the canvasses.

I then draw the detail patterns of the vases in marker and paint it white.

The gaps are painted black.

I use Payne's Grey to paint the shaded sides of the vases.

White highlights are painted down the centers of the vases, creating the illusion of light reflecting off the vases.

As I don't want the background colours to compete with the colours I paint the flowers in, I start by painting the flowers white. The trasparent colours of the paint will now appear more vibrant as reflected off the white paint.

I use colours taken from the backgrounds to paint the flowers ...

... and again ...

... and again.

I mix a very yellowish green.

The mixed colour is used to paint the stems of the flowers and some leaves.

Up to this point, I have been using a no 6 flat brush for all of the paint work, aside from the backgrounds where I used a much larger flat.

I now use a no 6 round brush to paint white highlights onto the flowers.

I use the round brush to sign my name with as well. Here you can see the paintings displayed on top of the piano.

A close-up of the three paintings. This trio (set of three paintings) is available from Marietjie Uys at uys.marietjie@gmail.com. The set sells for R425. Free delivery in Gauteng.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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