I learned one thing with this painting. Never make a fruit/flower still life larger than life unless it is REALLY huge. If you make it, say, 150% of life, he fruit will appear as Uber Fruit. I originally drew it larger than it is but I had to start all over and make everything smaller. I'll stick to 1:1 in the future.

Gladiolas

Every now and then I enjoy doing flowers. I originally started this painting for a demonstration at an art league meeting. I came in with the grisaille (gray underpainting) already done and demonstrated the initial stages of layering glaze over it.

Continuing this painting at home, I used for the first time the color Rose Madder Genuine by Winsor Newton. This is one of those oil colors that art stores keep behind the counter. AT $30 a tube, they are afraid of shoplifters. But it's well worth the $30. It is a deep rose color which, combined with the technique of glazing, creates the most incredible color.