Matilija Poppy

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Materials:

16"x20" Canvas Panel

Paints (Blick): Titanium White, Burnt Umber, Ultramarine, Viridian, Sap Green, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow light, Cadmium Red Medium (like to use it with my greens)

Synthetic Brushes:

I've been happy with the Princeton SNAP series - affordable and feel nice.

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Painted in oils


I want to tell you all about a painting I created a few years ago. It's a 16” x 20” canvas panel that features a favorite flower, the Matilija poppy. I was working from a reference image. To get realistic proportions, I used the grid method

For the petals, I used a bluish-grey color that I made by mixing Titanium White, Burnt Umber, and Ultramarine paints. I find that Burnt Umber and Ultramarine are a great substitute for black, and they add more depth and interest to the color. The petals themselves were mostly monochromatic, with a few exceptions where the yellow pistol reflected off them. I really focused on the shadows in this piece, creating some smooth and crisp transitions to capture the petals.

The background of the painting is mostly abstract, with a beautiful green color that provides a stark contrast against the lighter petals. I was working off an image and the pistol was challenging to capture. I wanted to capture the essence without trying to worry about the details, putting the right yellow/orange splotches and lines here and there.

On top of the finished painting, I applied a layer of varnish to give it a nice even surface. I like using a glossy varnish - I just love the way it makes the colors pop! Overall, this painting is one of my favorites, and I'm so glad I was able to capture the beauty of the Matilija poppy on canvas.


If you want to start your painting journey, I've put together a list of all my go to supplies to get you started.