Hello, lovely botanical painters, This week’s project is a beautiful deep pink patterned Phalaenopsis orchid. We are just painting the flower now because there is a lot to do on just one part of this plant. The lovely thing about this flower is that it has so many beautiful patterns and a lovely soft velvety texture. The colours are very unusual, so I have called upon some unusual colours to help me. Don't be afraid to create your own colours, just remember to try them out and see how they dry. So, in this project, I cover many variations of mark-making from my usual wet-in-wet to building patterns and softening with little tea washes. The wonderful thing about orchid flowers is that they usually last a long time and sit still, so they are perfectly behaved models for botanical art. Take your time with this one and enjoy the slow process. May there always be shade, water, peace, flowers, trees, and love. Billy xx Summer JobsWith the hot weather, don’t forget the creatures that share the earth with us: put out water for the birds, and make ponds if you can, place shallow pebble trays of water for the insects, and keep all trees safe from harm; we need them. Rabbits and other small creatures will enter gardens and nibble fancy plants and flowers if there is nothing juicy to find elsewhere. They need nourishment too in the heat, so throw your peelings and veg stalks where they can easily find them. Leave some water too, and they will leave your tender plants and bulbs alone. Billy x
