Be Mine, Lilies Mine, 16 x 20 inches

Be Mine, Lilies Mine

At the beginning of the summer, I re-read the chapter, Unity of Mass, in Harold Speed’s book “The Practice and Science of Drawing,” which inspired me to create a painting composition where the tonal values were a significant part of the rhythmically considered design.

Luckily for me, the oriental lilies were at their peak in the garden and I had time to carve out studio time to paint. Inspired by this passage in the book:

Large flat tones give a power and a simplicity to a design, and a largeness and a breadth of expression that are very valuable, besides showing up every little variety in the values used for your modeling; and thus enabling you to model with the lease expenditure of tones. Whatever richness of variation you may ultimately desire to add to your values, see to it that in planning your pitcher you get a good basic structure of simply designed, and as far as possible flat, tones. (PSD, pg. 207)

Decided on my course, I simplified the color scheme and focused on the values and shapes of the composition and this painting came into being.

...................................................................... {16" x 20″ – oil on linen}