DAY 21: SUN-DRENCHED ROSE

Welcome to Day 21!

Today we’re painting a sun-drenched rose.

This painting, with the hot sun grazing part of an orange-colored rose, always fills me with warmth. Even if you don’t love this color combination or perspective, I bet you can appreciate the feeling of warmth coming from the painting.

Let’s tap into that warmth, comfort, and joy today and do our best to add some depth to those petals.

The Painting Practice

Keep your existing instructions with only the corrections we already identified:

  1. Sketch a 4×4 or 8×8-inch square on your canvas paper.
  2. While looking at your reference photo for inspiration, do a simple outline of the rose on your paper. Just a rough sketch will do.
    • Draw the outer petal first, starting halfway up the square on the left side and ending over halfway across the bottom.
    • Now, draw the next petal and continue working your way toward the center. You can draw fewer petals if you like.
  3. Choose your colors. They can be whatever colors you’d like.
  4. Grab some water and your brushes, and don’t forget a towel to clean off your wet brush.
  5. Set a gentle timer and paint for 20 minutes for some meditative joy and playful painting.

I’ll proudly sign my painting Eriksdotter, which means “Erik’s daughter” in Swedish. My father passed away when I was 21, and my last name, and my company, Studio Eriksdotter, is, in a way, a tribute to him.

I sign every painting Eriksdotter, and I’m particularly touched when collectors say, “I have an Eriksdotter in my home.”

I invite you to find a signature that you love signing your paintings with, one that feels like you without taking too much attention away from the painting.

SHARE YOUR CREATION:

Take a photo of today’s sun-drenched rose and share it with your community. I’d love to celebrate your progress with you.

As you share, I’d love to hear:

  • Did you feel some of the warmth and joy of this subject as you painted?
  • What colors did you choose?
  • Have you found a way of signing your artwork that feels like you?

If you feel inspired to continue painting beyond 20 minutes, please do. I’d love to hear about that, too.