818 Heliconia

  

The reference photo for this beautiful tropical flower was taken at the Lincoln Park Conservatory in their Tropical plant house.  It is one of my favorite photos, and I painted it years ago in acrylic paints, but need to freshen it up a bit. 

"818 Heliconia"
watercolor - 10x7 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/818-heliconia/508102

dianecampion.blogspot.com

814 White Phalaenopsis (Orchid)

One of my very favorite places on the planet is the Lincoln Park Conservatory, which is on the same grounds as the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.  Both have free admission, so it makes it very easy to visit.  The Conservatory is a beautiful glass dome building and has three "houses" for different types of plants.  There is a Palm House, a Fern Room and an Orchid House, my favorite.  I took the photo reference for this painting there.   Although it is probably the most popular and certainly most familiar of all orchids,  it is one of my favorites.  I particularly love the white ones which are so elegant and last a very long time.  I have painted them many times with acrylic paints, but this is the first with watercolor.  Painting "white" is tricky as there are many colors to "white."  I hope you like it.

"814 White Phalaenopsis (Orchid)"
watercolor - 8x10 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/814-white-phalaenopsis-orchid-/505520

dianecampion.blogspot.com

807 Orchid Cactus

I've had several projects going at the same time in the last couple of weeks, and in one recent day,  I painted with three different mediums---oil, acrylic, and watercolor---hopping from project to project.

I am enjoying a renewed interest in watercolor.   Watercolor was my first love as far back as high school, then post-college, but I've set them aside for many years.  These are not the same watercolors as they used to be---they have so much more pigment, and are so vibrant!

I took the reference photo for this painting at the Lincoln Park Conservatory on the grounds of the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.  I love going there in any season to see all the beautiful plant life.

"807 Orchid Cactus"
watercolor -

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/807-orchid-cactus/498911


www.dianecampion.blogspot.com