Orange Lilies

This is a good example of negative and positive use of the space. This approach is very controlled by creating a carefully thought out under-painting ahead of time.  The orange lilies in the top square are the center of iinterest.

Using negative space in the background

The first image is a close up of the under-painting. This one has lots of yellow-orange, yellow, blue, blue-green, and yellow-green. Creating am interesting under-painting is the key to success in any negative painting.  Making sure the blues and oranges don't gray each other down is also challenging.

The second image shows some detail in the foliage surrounding the flowers.  Both negative ferns ( the light areas which were painted around the already existing underpainting) , and the positive ferns ( added on top in a darker pigment)  are clearly shown.

The final painting turned out well. I was happy with the changes in color  in the background. Variety is always a key to success in any painting in any medium. I glazed a few places with Daniel Smith's Luminescent Bronze. You can't see it in the photo but in person it adds just enough sparkle.