Opposites Do Attract

Painting in Denver Botanic Gardens is always exciting because there are so many colors to work with. The possibilities can be overwhelming so using a complimentary color scheme can provide a logical starting point. In this case, I found a place in the garden where the complimentary colors blue and orange were mingled together in a very appealing way. I started with the round orange flowers and painted them with several shades of orange and visible brush strokes. This gave them volume and changed them from flat shapes into forms. I made sure that some overlapped each other and each one was slightly different. The blue flowers were a completely different shape and I created a loose effect with spattering and letting colors run together and mix on the paper. The green leaves gave me the opportunity to surround the orange flowers with dark values and also create some completely different shapes. I made sure to add a few shots of red so I would have the complements of red and green. I decided that leaving some white paper at the top, which included some spattering and dripping paint, would allow the composition to get darker and more dramatic as your eye moved down through the painting. I have set the dates for two Denver Botanic Gardens Workshops and I may add another one later. The dates are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 19, 20, and 21st and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 31, August 1st, and August 2nd. You can signup for one, two or three days and the prices are $90 for one day, $160 for two days and $225 for all three days. For more information or to signup, send me an email to pendletonstudio@gmail.com. Happy Painting! Dennis Pendleton