"Apple"

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"Apple"

6 x 6 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

This delicious apple caught my eyes because of its colors that blended so well with each other.  I really like the subtle transitions these two colors create in the middle values.  I also wanted to mention that this canvas panel was provided by a great artist and friend Elaine Stolt, she toned it with golden number 6 grey acrylic wash.  I was a little skeptical at first painting on it due to the uneven wash, but I ended up really liking how it meshed well with the painting.  

I started the drawing stage with a bit of raw umber on the brush and scumbled the drawing on.  When the drawing was complete I stated the big form modeling first, I painted the general colors that wrapped around the form.  This stage is important to capture the light and make it turn with the form, when done correctly the details easily come afterwards.  The colors I'm using is cad. red light, naphthol red, cad. yellow pale hue, viridian, and ivory black.

Once the bigger form is turning and I have the general colors turning with it I then narrow each section down.  I first start with the middle to darker values, I add the smaller forms making sure they're working well in the value stage with the bigger form.  The bigger form gives me all the answers I need as far as values go, when I apply the smaller forms I need to make sure they're not to distant from what I stated with the bigger forms.  I also do not apply thick paint in the beginning with big form modeling, this allows me to control the consistency and layer as much to get the look I'm going for in the final stages.  I then shift to the highlights, applying smaller forms and making them work with the other forms I've stated.

Once the apple is completed I move onto the base, I apply the general color tone and how the light shifts.  Once thats completed I then start to add the smaller forms and make them work with the values that I've already stated.  At this stage I'm in the middle to darker values and slowly moving to the lights.  The colors I used are yellow ochre, cad. yellow pale hue, raw umber, ivory black, and titanium white.

Then I added the lighter values and highlights, again making sure they're working in correspondence to the values I stated with the bigger form modeling.  I decided to leave the background alone because I really liked how it looked in contrast with the painting.  The gestural feel and how it somewhat balances the design of the apple made it an easy choice to leave it alone.  I hope you enjoyed this one, thanks for stopping by and viewing!