I started by doing some quick people action sketches. This is something I need to practice frequently, including shading sketches.

Next came the painted rose on a very deep red background. After painting the rose I used a compatible color for the background based on a color selected in Color Schemer. I don't really like this as I don't think it really looks like a rose and the petals don't look soft. But, it was an interesting way to paint a rose.

After working on the rose I decided to paint another flower using some of the techniques covered in the rose painting lesson. This time I painted some poppies.

I went back and worked on the poppies painting again after receiving feedback. I've left the original above for comparative purposes. I've changed the highlights on the poppies from a very pale red to a pale yellow, which not only seems to warm the painting but also appears more realistic. I then added the pale grayish green leaves to provide depth to the painting.

My final painting is the park bench from week 5. After my second version of the painting Hillary worked on it to show me what she had in mind. This week I tried to achieve a similar look and include it as part of my final assignment. It's not exactly like Hillary's version, but it's still an improvement over my second version.

Thanks again for a great week and another jam packed fun course! I'll see you both, Hillary and Karen, next session as I continue to work to learn and practice painting.