Painting Project: "Sunflowers in the Wind"

Okay the time is now to get your paintbrushes out and create ART! I love Sunflowers! They are so BEAUTIFUL to me! I love to sketch them, see them in a fields, in a vase, in paintings, on clothes… I just love them. They make me smile no matter what!

I actually painted this picture two nights ago for my cousin Vikki who lives in Texas! Before I left Texas this Christmas, she asked me if I would paint her a picture for her room! I told her I would and here it is!! :-)

This is a project that YOU can do! Several simple steps to follow, and you will have a beautiful painting to inspire you!




(1) Start out with a very rough sketch!!!




(2) Sketch your design on the canvas with white paint. It doesn't have to be perfect, just sketch well enough for you to have a guide while you paint.

(3) Get a canvas that is a size that you like and feel comfortable working with...

* This is an old canvas that I had. A painting that I never finished :-)




(4) Sketch out your drawing…






(5) Next select a background color.

*I love shades of turquoise, but you can choose any colors you like.

*What I recommend is selecting two varying shades of the same color, in addition to a white gloss paint. By doing this you can play around with shading and depth in your background.

* I have a paint pallet, but I like to use plastic plates over and over again!!!



(4) Just paint the spaces around the sketched image. (You may have to d0 several coats to have a smooth/complete coverage)



(4) Once the background is painted, you can move onto the stems!

(5) Select two shades of Green for depth and shading.

*Begin painting in the stems. You may need to add several coats of the green to get your desired look







(6) Next we will move onto the petals. Select a shade of yellow and orange.

*I like to play around with the shading of the petals because in real life… depending on the lighting and shadows the colors may differ!

*I did take a picture of the white glaze that I also used.

*I use it at times because it blends colors nicely. You just have to make sure that it doesn’t add too much of a white undertone to the color that you are using.

*The Glaze is not mandatory in creating this painting!





(4)Now for the centers of the Sunflower heads! I like to use two shades of brown!



*If you think of a Sunflower… the center always looks a little darker than the outer edges. So keep that in mind as you paint the center(s). You can make them as dark or light as you like.



*Now we are in the home stretch!!!



Look at your painting, and see if there are any areas that need color touchups. A little green here, a little yellow there…



Incredible!!! BEAUTIFUL!!! You are an ARTIST! But you are not Done Yet!!!



Sign your painting!!!!

Now You are done! I hope this painting will inspire you to continue to CREATE!!!