Irises, don't you just love them?

Well I've made it to the studio again today and have been here most of the day, which is an achievement, trust me!

I've been working out a new composition for a large iris painting.  I'm aware of how much people like Irises and I just love drawing and painting them, so they are my subject for the time being.  Getting used to the fact that I am painting these as I want and not how they would best come over for a class of students.

Last year I took an A4 photocopy of an iris drawing I made based on a photo taken in my garden to Staples.  I had it enlarged to A3 so that it would be the basis of a large painting.  Then I didn't get around to painting it!  So today I have been having another look.



Obviously and sadly, there are no irises to be seen at the moment so I'm using a number of clear photos of which I have taken many over the years to make a composition.

You have to be careful when you don this.  Two things are important.

Scale and lighting.  The irises have to fit in with each other size wise and they have to be lit from the same side so that the lighting is consistent throughout the painting.

I'm enjoying the challenge but as you can see, I am thoroughly bogged down in Irises.  Things could be worse!