Ugh! I give up!

Punky, to me, they don't look bad. I made a couple last night and was so proud, they were not as good as yours. I have a feeling you are your own worst critic, am I right I can't say much. I will work at something a hundred times before I am happy. This dragon thing for instance!!!!! Ever since Perry and you and some others posted some cool dragons , I thought," Huh, no sweat, I can do something like that, NOT!!" My stinkin dragons all look like chickens or roosters with bad hairdos!!! So, what is the monthly challenge I see?? DRAGONS!! So now I'm obsessed. I will learn to do a dragon!! OCD showing through over here!

Maybe it's getting the knack of moving the brush so only one corner moves, like a C or S shape while the the bottom corner doesn't move much... does that make sense?

If all else fails and you have the money, Clash's class she posted isn't too far from us. It looks like they'll be doing split work.

okay... so keep one corner anchored down and wet the brush more. I will be practicing more tonight!

Punky -
I've been making one stroke roses FOR YEARS and I taught a class on this (that being said, my roses should be neater, but I digress).

One thing that helped me learn was to NOT do it with facepaints (scandalous, I know). I bought myself a Donna Dewberry book (http://www.amazon.com/One-Stroke-Painting-9880-Technique/dp/B001BPXJ0Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1302148215&sr=8-2) and practiced and practiced using acrylic paints.

My initial attempts were DISASTROUS. This is the first thing I EVER PAINTED (see photoalbum). Hideous, no? I was 13.


I PRACTICED and practiced and this is something that I made in high school (see photo)


And now I make these (which is actually about the same size as your hand, but DH did me a favor and photographed em for me and so I have a close up that is 2,000 times real size):


and these:


So while I'm not claiming to be the best of the best, I prove hands-down that practice (and time) makes perfect.

From looking at your photos I have the following suggestions:
1) Try wiggling the brush side-to-side as you create the initial petals for some variation.
2) Space out the initial petals a little more so that the rose is less 'squished' together.
3) I know people advocate using an angle brush, but I only like the angle brush if I'm doing super small roses (like the ones on the glass tea-light holder. For larger roses, I like to use a smaller flat brush for the interior.
4) I cheat. If I was going to fast (like in the wrist design above) I'll highlight the muddied areas with black or white. There is no law that says that just b/c its supposed to be 'one-stroke' if it comes out bad I can't go over it with a round brush and make it look more tidy.
5) Get your brush wet and then gently press it into a paper towel. Spritz the cake (instead of keeping the brush wet) and the colors will muddy less. (Please note, I don't always follow my own advice, as seen by above photo).
6) Try making a calyx over your rosebuds. (Can't find a picture right now that's normal, but its what I'm pretty sure I was attempting to do 10+ years ago on that photo album).
Hope this helps!

wow! you have all been so helpful, cant wait to practice.

Practiced again today, but wasn't able to get pics as I was rushed to get into the shower to get ready to go to class this evening. I am having some issues keeping one corner of the brush still...but I suppose that comes with practice.

I've been practicing these darned things so intesely recently that last night I DREAMED about making one stroke roses... and I made the absolute most perfect rose I've ever seen! I was so excited! ...that is, until I woke up and realized it was just a dream and the ones I made later still looked kinda crappy. :/

I have done that too! LOL! I really didn't think your roses weren't bad at all....I think we are all our worst critic, but I honestly liked your roses;)

Punky, I don't know what you are talking about Willis LOL I like your roses, I don't see any blobs. Are you due for your annual eye exam?

wow!!

i think you guys are all doing a great job!!

and...i remember working with shannon...ugh!?
i think you are the only person i have ever taught that couldn't get a roe? sigh...
but...your peacock feathers do ROCK!!!!

here is a u tube of the tattoo rose using the abc's
http://www.sillyfarm.com/video_gallery/new_gallery/silly.php?p=2

and, here is a step by step of my simple rose i did a couple of years ago.

good luck!!!
rebecca
www.artybrushstrokes.com





tattoo rose

Rebecca, as always, very beautiful.

Thanks Rebecca, very helpful.

GORGEOUS Rebecca!!!! I like that little bee too.
I guess I should let you know that I drool when I look at your work

here are mine after trail and error..I also watched alot of donna dewberry videos on one stroke roses..and there are some good ones on you tube

rebecca wrote: and...i remember working with shannon...ugh!?
i think you are the only person i have ever taught that couldn't get a rose? sigh...
but...your peacock feathers do ROCK!!!!

Thank you Rebecca.

The techniques you taught me stuck... but I don't know why I can't get the roses.

Give me a brush, a pencil or charcoal and I can draw beautiful roses, just can't do the one stroke thing... some sort of mental block I guess.

Wow barb! Those are gorgeous! Not blob-like at all (unlike mine, lol).

I am running into a new problem... when I go to make the full rose like the ones Barb posted... I can't get the 5th petal in for the base! I get to 4 and then I don't have enough room for a fifth. *starting to rip hair out*

Punky -
1) You don't have blobs. They are clearly roses. I concur with all the other statements that we are our own worst critics.
2) Think of the base of the rose like a star:
you have the top part that points north (maybe dot 'true north' to give you a visual)
the two points that go northeast and northwest (dot the topmost middle area of where each of these two should go)
and then you have the two bottom points that point southwest and southest (again, dot them so that you have a guide)



Rebecca - that bumblebee is sooooo cute! How'd you make it?

I do suck painting roses...I guess is matter of pracctice some more..and after looking at all those beautiful roses, I'm getting jealous so I'mma start painting right now!!
Shannon, share the peacock..im dying to see them...lol

Okay, so did some more practice today and here's what I came up with:



Good news is, thanks to Tamarielpaints and her "star" idea, I think my full roses are looking much better! but I think I may be getting a bit worse at my rose buds... I put the leaves on the two I was most happy with.

They look great Punky, both full roses and buds

Punky -
They look GREAT! Try making them in bigger AND smaller sizes. I found that I 'got it' better when I made different sizes (8 flat, 1 inch flat, 2 flat....each size helps you master a different aspect).
Ok, tips for rosebuds (which I don't htink look like they are regressing at ALL)
1) Some people like flat brushes. Some people like angle brushes. I like an angle for rosebuds.
2) you want to make a 'n' stroke and then partially cover it with a u. Then I like to switch to a smaller brush sometimes and put in the additional petals.

Another trick is to make a calyx and cover up the sides of the rosebuds that came out 'eh' instead of 'yay!'
And finally, when all else fails, line the rosebud in black/white. It covers a LOT of goofs!
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Punky they look great! I too have a problem with roses u have inspired me to practice....hopefully I will get this 2.

Maggie urs are sooo pretty love that design!

Rebecca I wish I could take a class with you, I just love ur work it so pretty.

Punky, I think your roses are looking good!
When you Blob, you might be using too much water. That's my one stroke issue... getting the water consistancy just right...

yeah, the water amount is giving me all kinds of heck! I'm used to DFX and Wolfe... but my rose cake is by Paradise... I didn't think of the issue this might cause me when I bought it... -insert facepalm here-. The good ones in that last pic were made with the bottom half of the DFX split "Party" that I got from the forum shop quite a while ago.

punky i think your roses are great..I also had trouble and took rebecca's class in vegas...she is a amazing artist..and will take the time to help out..she worked with me on the tattoo rose,, i still don't have it, but continue to practice it...i did get a paradise split cake and find it hard to get the right consistancy i to use dfx..so i have a dfx rose split cake i made...works better for me...

I have better luck with a dryer paint consistancy when I do one Stroke roses. I have to load my brush inbetween more but it help keep them from turning into blobs. It might help you if you are getting you paint too wet I think one strokes blend too much and you lose the contrast in color. Best of Luck