Crazy Floral Bouquet

I have always been intrigued by using the technique of masking to create my pieces. Masking is the process of blocking out a background and leaving other elements showing through in areas. The process for making these pieces began many years ago when I took an abstract painting and turned it into a loose floral. I used Sennelier oil pastels over an abstract acrylic painting to create an abstract floral. Those oil pastels were the beginning of my journey into using oil paint. I fell in love with the creamy texture of the oil pastels and soon found myself playing with the real thing. Even with my aversion to using oil paint, I eventually gave in and tried out playing with oil paint. I often joke that oil pastels are just the gateway drug to oil paint.

Over the last few years, I have developed a process for creating my signature Crazy Floral Bouquet paintings. This process involves taking an abstract painting and turning it into a joy-filled still life palette knife painting. I find that beginning my still life's from an abstract painting, allows me to stay loose and playful in my composition. These paintings are my signature pieces that often sell out within a day or two. The thick palette knife painting in bright happy colors is a collector favorite. I have always loved playing with shape, color and texture in my work; these paintings are the full embodiment of those design elements. When I begin a piece, I never really know what direction it will go. This makes painting in this way feel like an exciting adventure. This is the first time I have offered a complete guide to how I create these signature paintings and I can't wait to share my process with you.

Now, I understand that the mere mention of oil paint causes some people to run in the opposite direction. And I totally get it. (I was there once too, remember?) I also know that I will not be able to win everyone over to using oil paint. But I invite you to stay open and curious. If you have never tried them before, I encourage you to try them before completely ruling them out. The luminosity and creaminess is truly beyond compare. Oil paint can take your paintings to the next level!

Included in this course:

• Start to finish process videos for 7 different paintings (including several mini's)
• Step by step instructions for how to create these pieces
• Composition tips for how to develop your bouquets
• Detailed instructions for how to build your abstract backgrounds
• Editing tips for taking your painting from good to great
• Oil painting basics for beginners

Materials and Supplies:

• Art boards (unprimed) in sizes 8 x 8, 10 x 10, 11 x 14 and 12 x 16
• Stretched canvas in 18 x 24 of 16 x 20
• Acrylic paint in favorite colors
• Acrylic markers
• Gel pens
• Neocolor II's
• Pencils
• Oil paint in your favorite colors (I use Charvin)
• Palette knife
• Wooden palette or palette paper
• Collage (fabric or paper)
• Matte medium or favorite adhesive
• Paintbrushes in multiple sizes

NOTE: While I believe that you will get the best results in this course by using oil paint straight out of the tube, if you feel confident using an acrylic medium mixed with acrylic paint to thicken your paint, you are more than welcome to join us. In the past, I have used different molding pastes mixed with acrylics to create a thicker acrylic paint for palette knife painting. Just know that I will be using oil paint for the final layers of my paintings.