She doesn't know, she will find out through this post, as I know she will read it.
Summer is over and autumn is beginning, but I'm still going to the beach, it's revitalising and I love looking for rocks.
I don't want just any rocks, but the biggest and smoothest ones so I can make bigger drawings and paintings too.
Coincidentally on the nearest beach, the big rocks are dark. That depending on what I choose to paint can be beneficial, as it can be part of the background to help contrast the painting and give the right shade to the design I want.
My friend Loli is a super fan of sunflowers and daisies, they are her favourite flowers, although I think sunflowers are more so.
On the other hand, I once asked her what she would like if she had a painted rock and she said a starfish.
I love to paint things that belong to nature so I was very motivated to do so.
This morning I started the process after selecting from the many rocks I had managed to get my hands on. For white rocks I think I will have to go to another beach, there will be no lack of opportunity, I love walking on the beach.
The starfish is not difficult at all, although maybe a little bit the theme of its painting as it has relief in its texture. Being a simple design I decided to accompany it with a bit of sea foam on the background which would be sand.
This time I first painted the background, the sand with sienna, skin and darker sienna colours. Always using oils. And then for the foam the dark background helped me and I only used a little bit of sienna and a lot of pure white.
Then if I started with the detail of the star, using various colours like sienna or brown, light and dark yellow, orange and white.
The colour sienna in oils refers to the browns and there are various shades, ideal for earth and sand.
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To achieve the relief of the star I mainly used the finest brush I have and as colours white and yellow. In this way I was able to achieve the right texture.
Finally, on the sand with brown or dark sienna and a little black I achieved the shadow of the star.
A long time ago I painted a picture for Loli, a picture with sunflowers in a vase, from a photo she had sent me. She lives near the countryside and there are sunflowers there, so she had them freshly cut, took a picture and sent it to me. I knew that she loves that flower.
The sunflower always looks towards the sun, towards the light, and that's why I also identify it with her.
In the case of the rock with the sunflowers you have to draw much more precisely, although not the case of the petals, but the centres of the flowers to know the exact dimensions and location.
As he also likes daisies, I created a flower that unites the two, I thought it was fun.
First I located and drew the centres of each sunflower, then loosely as a matter of sketching, I traced the petals and finally drew some leaves.
The background would be left for last in order to create contrast and shadows.
First I painted all the centres, it is better this way so that they all look alike.
It often happens that painters, according to their mood, don't always paint the same. So if you paint in series, for example in this case, several sunflowers, it is better to paint all the centres first and then all the petals together.
For the centres I made small brushstrokes with dark brown, yellow and some black, but very little, as black is very invasive.
Then for the petals, I first used white to create the difference with the background and then put dark yellow, orange and finally brown in some parts to create the inner shadow of each of the petals.
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I only painted three leaves with a dark green and some brown, although I also put some yellow to highlight when the leaf folds.
To create the background and shadow of this sunflower bouquet I used dark brown and that way the petals seem to be very much on the stone and I really liked the result.
As it is a surprise I didn't ask her what these two things mean to her, but by intuition I think I can imagine what it could be.
The sea for me represents tranquillity and a star is like something new, an illusion, a new beginning. That's why I think the starfish goes with her and I see the word calm reflected in it, because this feeling is needed for new decisions and new beginnings.
In the case of the sunflowers, the word that came to my mind was illumination, because they always seek to see the sun, that energy that motivates them to continue and that strength that is necessary for change.
I know you will read this my friend and probably shed some tears, of emotion of course.
In a few days these two rocks will be in your hands and decorating your home, as well as giving you the calm and enlightenment that will always accompany you.
Painting these rocks I noticed that the predominant colour is yellow, a colour that represents wisdom and I think it also relates to the designs. I always like to give the meaning of colours because they influence our life.
It is always a pleasure to be here with my paintings and my new taste for painting rocks.
A big greeting to all and until next time.
Amonet.
All photographs are my own.
