"Roses" Study in Oil on Illustration board, 8x6 in.

 

I've been wanting to try a painting on illustration board.  I thought it might make a nice surface, smooth like paper, but more rigid.  I used a piece of Crescent cold press board of medium weight.  It's about 1/16th of an inch thick.  I  put 2 coats of acrylic gesso on it, and after it was dry, I toned it with some thin acrylic raw umber paint. 

 I received a bouquet of flowers for Valentine's day, and I pulled out these 2 roses to paint as they seemed to be in their last days before wilting.    I don't paint flowers often, it seems every time I try, I can't seem to put down in paint what I am seeing.  I need more practice, because I really love flowers in paintings, and I want to get better at it.    After painting the flowers, I tried adding things in.. like a napkin, and strawberries, but in the end, I painted them out, and left it simple.