"Onion 2"

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"Onion 2"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

This is another onion painting, I wanted to approach it more of my own style and the way I usually paint than the way I was painting with Michael Klein. I am still moldering the information I gathered at the workshop and seeing what works with my own style and approach to painting, it's a work in progress but the information he told us is vital to any creation of a painting.

I started with a dry brush approach as I usually do with all my paintings using no mediums just raw umber on the brush, then when the drawing is completed I started with the darkest values in the onion.  This area was tricky because of the amount of reflected light that is in the onion, I used ivory black, ultramarine blue, and alizarine crimson.

Then I started dabbing into the middle values using the same mixture but with some titanium white, I am slowly creeping up to the highlights not wanting to put excessive paint if it's not needed.

Then I added the lighter values of the onion using titanium white, ultramarine blue, and alizarine crimson whilst I am doing that I am also adding some of the information around the onion to support the values within the onion.  I then move onto the leaves using ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, yellow ochre pale, and cadmium yellow light, I treat this area fairly loose at first to get the gestural feel of it.

Then I start adding the lighter values after the middle and darker values where established, I used the same palette but with some titanium white added to it.  Then I start with the base after the leaves are taken to a finish I used burnt sienna, yellow ochre pale, cobalt blue, titanium white, and ivory black.  I also go back into the cast shadow of the onion where the strings are hanging out and add that information so it meshes well with the base, it wasn't important to add it in the beginning but after adding the base its best to state it at this time.

Then I add the background using cobalt blue, cadmium yellow, and titanium white, I am also softening the edges to push some things further back and make some edges crispier to push some forward.  This painting was a treat to do as well as the last one I am constantly thinking what Michael Klein said at the workshop and seeing how I can incorporate it into my work, thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed!