How to paint rose stamens

[sarasotalady]

 

Can anyone give me some advise on how to paint rose stamens? Colors used and techniques? Thank you for any help.

Barbara

[marylka]

Hi Barbara
If your stamens are a brown (they come in different colors )you could use Translucent orange Alizarin crimson and small amount of phthalo blue  you will need to try out this color mix  by adding more or less of the 3 colors after you have applied a light wash of yellow left to dry before any additional layers are added you could wet the area small amount of water start at the base with a deeper color as they come forward allow them to become lighter,  Allow you washes to dry thoroughly in between layers .This is one way
Marylka

[sarasotalady]

Thank you so very much for your help I have a question, do I paint a yellow wash BEFORE I add the stamens? Now, next, what do you do if you have white stamens i.e. rose stamens? With brown stamens, do I use any masking?

Barb

[Renee]

I do would use a yellow underwash. But I would not put it in any place you want the coolest white.
You have to be careful to save the lightests hints of warm or cool whites. I keep these area by painting around the lightest stamens. The darker stamens are easy since you just put them over a lighter color. Many people do use masking but I have found mask gives me hard edges that are very hard to soften if you are painting with staining colors.
I know these are a real challenge but just go for it. Practice a bit of it before you put it in your painting if you wish. It helps to cover the painting and your reference photo only showing the small area you want to see and paint. It helps with the distraction of other shapes and colors around it.
Susans 1st DVD has instruction on stamens that you might find of great value.

[marylka]

Thank you so very much for your help I have a question, do I paint a yellow wash BEFORE I add the stamens? Now, next, what do you do if you have white stamens i.e. rose stamens? With brown stamens, do I use any masking?

Barb

Hi Barb as Renee said yes to the yellow under wash
 Keep it very lifgt barley there  you can always go darker .With light color stamens use a light wash of  aueriolin  yellow with a  minute touch  of alizarin crimson and Pthalo blue should be on the yellow side in hue You can add more layers when the first layer is dry . apply the colour darker at the base lighter as it comes out into the light.

As Renee pointed out the coloured masking fluid leaves a hard line which is difficult to soften I don't often use it , For those that do ,here is a masking fluid that is called colourless masking fluid I know Winsor and Newton make it the colourless does not leave as harder line as the coloured one .

Many flower artist use this one for that reason .Place a small  a hole in a piece of water colour paper  place viewer on you ref picture and see are they realy white? another quick way is by using a white sheet of photo copy paper against the color for comparison   

Usualy the some roses have light stamens and darker heads keep your washes light and you should be ok.if you need to go darker add more layers of pigment.
marylka
Marylka

[Renee]

I personally will not give much color hints except for lights, darks, cool or warm since the color also depends on the type of rose, how old it is and the color of the rose since color will bounce off the petals influencing the stamen tints. Older roses will have darker stamens if they are starting to dry up. As the rose gets spent and they dry up quick the stamens can literally turn brown. In other cases some petals will drop off early and leave very fresh stamens. It just depends on the rose you are painting. I would have to see the exact rose you are painting.
I have that masking fluid as well as two other brands. None leave soft enough edges for my taste. It depends on what you want. I certainly wont use mask with high staining colors. You can try it and see if you like it.