Stone steps at the botanic garden

Art Completed Projects
1

I’m taking a landscape painting class and the instructor encouraged us to use our own reference photos so my husband and I went to the local botanic gardens. For this painting I was really focused on trying to make it look realistic and I’m really happy with how it turned out. I still need to varnish it but that will wait until I’m sure that I don’t want to tweak anymore details. The painting is done in acrylics on a canvas panel.

IMG_1661
IMG_16611512×2016 1.78 MB

And some progress pics

IMG_1287
IMG_12871512×2016 1000 KB

IMG_1390
IMG_13901512×2016 1.1 MB

IMG_1545
IMG_15451512×2016 1.37 MB

IMG_1549
IMG_15491512×2016 1.43 MB

This was by far the most complex painting I’ve ever done and my first time painting stone. Thanks for looking!

26 Likes
2

WOWWWWW! You have some serious talent. I love it!

2 Likes
3

Your talent shines through in every brushstroke and detail. This is stunning and so realistic it feels like you can step into the painting and stroll up those steps. Beautiful, beautiful work.

2 Likes
4

Thanks for sharing with us on your painting journey! It has been fun to see your work progress. The final work is lovely!

2 Likes
5

So beautiful and sunny it looks like you could step right in!

2 Likes
6

This is beautiful! You can really feel the texture and details on the stones.

2 Likes
7

This turned out so well. I feel like i could climb right up those steps now!

1 Like
8

WOW!! Absolutely beautiful work!

1 Like
9

This is very pretty!

1 Like
10

This is beautiful and I love seeing the progress pictures!

1 Like
11

Beautiful :star_struck:

1 Like
12

gorgeous

1 Like
13

Wonderful! Makes me want to step into the painting and see where those steps lead.

2 Likes
14

This is so realistic, that I agree with the others that said it feels like you could step into it. But it’s also just softly dreamy enough to be truly painterly.

1 Like
15

Absolutely fantastic work!

1 Like
16

It’s fantastic!

1 Like
17

:green_heart: :art: :deciduous_tree: Your lovely Stone Steps at the Botanic Garden painting is a Featured Project this week! Congratulations! :deciduous_tree: :art: :green_heart:

1 Like
18

Your painting is beautiful !!

I watch Baumgartner Restoration on YouTube and he varnishes paintings before retouching them. Could you add more paint after varnishing if you wanted to?

1 Like
19

Thanks everyone! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Varnish isn’t meant to be painted over, it’s a final coat. Some varnishes can be removed if you want to restore or otherwise change the underlying painting. I use a non-removable permanent varnish so once I varnish it, it’s done.

I’ve decided that I’m happy with how the painting is so once I wait the required 72 hours after painting to make sure it’s fully dry I’ll add the varnish.

1 Like
20

Does the varnish change the texture? I did a piece in 2019 and used some texture stuff added to the paint to make it bumpy…I worry that the colors will fade if I don’t do something. Will the varnish yellow over time?