Sunflowers

Sunflowers, 18x24 work in progress

One day in Italy we were driving to Sarnano to see the Carlos Crivelli exhibition and as we came around a corner we happened on a field of sunflowers in full bloom. Working from a photograph I took, here they are.

First I drew them, them went over the drawing with diluted regular black acrylic, adding some shading.

Sunflowers, 18x24 acrylic on canvas, work in progress

After the that I washed Raw Sienna over the canvas, lifting out some of the areas that should be the lightest.

Sunflowers, 18x24 acrylic on canvas, work in progress

Here I've begun working on the sky, mostly Cerulean and white with touches of French Ultramarine and Cobalt.

Sunflowers, 18x24 acrylic on canvas, work in progress

Then I darkened it at the top with more Cobalt. I went over the lightest petals of the main flower with white.

I've used some burnt umber and nearly every yellow in my paint box to start on the flowers. Slowly working my way down the canvas.