VASES AT OLD PALACE ELY - first layer

Having finished the building paintings both in acrylic and watercolour for the fundraising event for Sue Ryder, my next painting from the day I spent at the Old Palace has begun - of course from photos - some of mine and some the fundraising manager kindly sent me. The vases are on window sills going up the staircase to the long gallery where the exhibition is going to be held in November.

I have used block canvases size 12 x 24 inches to get the shape for the tall vases and here is the first layer of the vase which is actually white and blue with gold touches. The flowers were silk but I hope to give a 'real' effect in the end. I decided to use some of the strong warm colour from the building paintings to tie my entries together and I felt the orangy colour background would bring out the blues in the vase. Will probably do the reverse in the orangy brown other vase when I get round to it to create a pair.

I drew the vase shape with a blue watercolour pencil and then filled in the shape with a painting knife and thick gesso white paint to get it to stand out from the background. Before it dried I cut into it with the bird, flower and leaf shapes with a masking tool. I then started to create the feeling of the window frame.

Not sure where it will go from here but Im looking forward to my next session of fun.