A bunch of daffodils

One bunch of daffodils can provide inspiration for many sketches!

First, the whole bunch...

Birthday Daffodils - © Ruth S Harris 2013
Watercolour 15" x 11"

Then single flowers...

Single Daff from life #1 - ©Ruth S Harris 2013
Watercolour 5.5" x 7.5"

Single Daff from life #2 - ©Ruth S Harris 2013
Watercolour 5.5" x 7.5"

Single Daff from life #3 - ©Ruth S Harris 2013
Watercolour 5.5" x 7.5"

It's great practice at painting from life, with different angles presenting different challenges.

Iris from life

It's always good to get your observational skills honed by painting from life, but I'm ashamed to admit that I rarely do so.  I don't enjoy painting out of doors, there are too many distractions and the light changes constantly.  Last week a single flower snapped from its stem and I brought it inside to paint it quickly, before it wilted.

Wasn't it a stunner?  My friend Janet said "that's not a flower, it's a floozy!" and I agree!  I went straight in with the paintbrush, no pencil sketch, and was amazed at how well it turned out.  I added an invented stem and foliage and here's the result: