Fearless Friday, Still Life with Oranges
Lately I have been doing a lot of holiday doodles and drawings
so the other day I got out my acrylics and a canvas
and spent a peaceful morning painting
a still life of flowers with oranges
A Sta-Wet Palette** is handy for keeping acrylics from drying out,
it is basically a large shallow box fitted with a sponge
You wet the sponge and lay a piece of palette paper on top
Lay out the desired paint colors and give them a mist of water
When you are finished painting,
seal the box with it’s lid
and paint will stay fresh and pliable for days
I started with a loose sketch with paint
to establish the composition and placement
Next I added rough flowers and leaves and placed the oranges
Next I filled in the background with blues and shades of green
Then the foreground was added
I wanted the foreground and background established
so as I finished the flowers, leaves and oranges they would stand out
More work establishing the flowers and leaves
Highlights on the vase really catch the eye and add interest
More details to flowers and leaves
A large shadow was added to the area behind the vase
Shadows were added to the oranges and leaves on the table…
and it was finished
“Still Life with Oranges” 16″ x 20″ acrylic on canvas
I must confess I broke my own rule and did a little Christmas decorating…
HHjr came home with 2 beautiful red poinsettias
he found them at Home Depot, an early black Friday sale, $2 each!!
I was so excited, I just couldn’t help it!
They will get lots of light in the foyer which should keep them happy
So right now my house is part Christmas, part Thanksgiving
and pumpkins are still on the patio!
I know the holidays can zap free time,
so even if you’re pressed to find time to do art,
do a quick drawing or painting when you can, and remember,
Be Fearless!
**As an Amazon affliate, I may receive compensation from items linked in this post with no additional cost to you
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado Love Your Creativity Over the Moon
Between Naps on the Porch, Celebrate Your Story,
All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl Turn About Tuesday
Full Plate Thursday Centerpiece Wednesday Creatively Crafty
Thursday Favorite Things Creative Cumpulsions Meal Plan Monday
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Well, why not start decorating?! Beautiful artwork, Jenna. Have a great weekend.
Thank you Rita! The poinsettias put me in the holiday spirit instantly!!
Jenna, that is such a gorgeous painting! I adore anything with flowers so this speaks to me. I say there is nothing wrong with decorating for Christmas early. I think we could all use the joy that this season brings. Your display is beautiful! I’ve already decorated my house for the season, and I am enjoying it so much! Take care, and have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Shannon, I adore to paint flowers, this was a great relaxation for me! I feel so much better hearing about people that have already decorated! We are going to the coast for Thanksgiving, so my goal is to get all that put away before I go so when I get back I can walk in to a little Christmas 🎄 I hope you’ll give us a Christmas tour of your holiday home!
Your painting is peaceful and relaxing not to mention beautiful! A lovely way to spend the morning. It’s a little Thanksgiving and a little Christmas here too. HHjr found a great deal and a nudge for you to think Christmas decorations. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Jenna…
Thank you Emily, it felt so good to sit down and leisurely paint! Can you believe those poinsettias were only $2!! He is so sweet, always bringing me stuff like that…it really did put me in the mood to start decorating!!
I have also started decorating simply because in order to keep everyone safe, our holidays will be my husband and myself and lots of Zoom chats. Got to fill the house with a little cheer!
Isn’t it amazing how Zoom has become such an important factor in our lives? I agree, bring on the holiday cheer! We did buy our Christmas tree this week, because the place where we get it sells out so fast, but we won’t put it up for a couple of weeks…but that really got me thinking Christmas!
I’ll get a tree, just smaller this year, but I plan on hanging little twinkle light everywhere!
What a perfect painting for this time of year! A Christmas green vase with Thanksgiving oranges snuggled against it and a gorgeous celebratory colorful bouquet of flowers! I absolutely LOVE this! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Jenna. The Holidays have a very different feel this year. We’ll be “zooming” with all four of our daughters and grandkids for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, but as soon as the fates allow, we’re going to have one heck of a celebratory dinner!
Oh Rosie, thank you so much, I love the way it turned out. I also really love your attitude, so positive under these difficult circumstances. I am so lucky to have my immediate family close by and that we can safely be together. I know you will have many fun Zoom get togethers with your sweet family and I pray that it will be soon that we can safely resume our lives!
Jenna, I love the still life…perfect! I have done a little Christmas decorating in the Sunshine Cottage and plan more for the weekend. I think we could all use a dose of early cheer this year. Happy Friday!
I can’t wait to see the Sunshine Cottage decked out for the holidays! I spent most of yesterday putting fall things away, getting ready for Christmas and holiday cheer!
Hi Jenna,
I love your beautiful painting and I love watching it come to life! 💚 I’m ready to start decorating soon as well. Hard to believe next week is Thanksgiving. 😊
Thank you Patty Anne, and enjoy your holiday decorating!
Lovely painting, Jenna. And just as lovely table with those gorgeous poinsetties and bottlebrushes!
Thank you Jeanie, I have painted so little lately, it was pure joy!
Gorgeous Jenna! I love seeing your painting come to life and your still life is so vibrant! Love the highlights on the urn. ♥
Thank you Mary, this one was pure joy to paint 🙂
I love the final result of your painting as well as the tutorial. Don’t feel bad about your dab of Christmas decorating. Many are succumbing early in reaction to the lockdowns. They have to find some joy! ($2 poinsettias are a fantastic deal!)
Thank you Linda, when I saw the poinsettias, I couldn’t help myself! The more cheerful the better right now! The painting was also a treat to myself, I had a million things I needed to do, but maybe I needed that most of all 🙂