"Crab Apples"

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"Crab Apples"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I was walking through the fruit isle and saw these little crab apples.  I'm intrigued with there shapes some are really tiny and some are somewhat big.  I enjoyed playing with the composition of this one, I automatically thought of making this painting when I saw the apples lined up.  

I also wanted to thank everyone who signed up for my first online lesson.  There is still time to sign up just email me if your interested or leave a comment and I will put you on the list.  I will be offering online courses on how to paint these alla prima studies in one session.  We will go step by step in each lesson and make sure you understand my process on each level.  I will offer a critique through out the whole process till the end result.  There is a discounted price since this is my first lesson.  The first lesson entails of the whole process of the painting, my video demo that I will send to each student explaining my process in thorough, critiques through out the painting, and one on one help at any time to help the student via email.  I'm really excited to offer this course to everyone and develop it further, thanks again!

I started with the traditional approach of no mediums just raw umber on the brush for the draw in stage.  I added the background first before starting on the apples because I wanted to have more control of the edges.  I used cerulean blue, naples yellow, cad. red, and titanium white.

Then I started on the darkest value of the apple first using ivory black, ultramarine blue, cad. red, and cad. orange.  Then I started on the lighter values and tied in the darker values with the middle and lighter values always thinking of modeling the bigger forms.  I used cad. yellow, cad, red light, and titanium white.

Then I started on the second apple after the first one was completed and used the same mixture as the first apple.  I am applying the paints pretty thin just enough to cover what I need and if need more then I apply a tad bit more.  This allows me to keep control through out the painting and also it gives me a look that I like.

These stages I added the middle and lighter values.  Then I started on the darker values of the third apple repeating the process of the previous two apples.  I am also using the same mixtures as the other apples.  At this stage I also added the cast shadows and darker values to the base.  I used ivory black, burnt sienna, and yellow ochre pale.

Then I added the middle values and went back to the darker values to see if I need to make some adjustment to make it work as a whole.  I added the lighter values and took it to a finish.

Then I added the base middle and lighter values using titanium white, cerulean blue, and burnt sienna.  I enjoyed painting these three characters, I was testing out my technique in different manners and really liked the look I was able to achieve with this one.  Thanks for stopping by and viewing, hope you enjoyed!