"Cauliflower & Brussel Sprouts"

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"Cauliflower & Brussel Sprouts"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

This cabbage and brussel sprouts stood out to me when I was at the grocery store, their unique shapes and soft colors attracted me too them.  Cauliflower in itself has so many intricate shapes to them, trying to paint it was more than a challenge.  I really do love the soft and subtle colors the brussel sprouts show on their skin, I believe these two subjects go well together for this painting.  Another aspect to this painting I was trying to tackle was emphasizing on modeling the lights.  Concentrating on bigger and smaller form modeling is a great way to capture the essence of light wrapping around the form.

I started with a dry brush approach for the drawing stage using minimal paint on the brush.  Then I started on the cauliflower itself first concentrating on big form modeling, at this stage I'm just worried how the light's wrapping around the form with general colors.

Then I hone down in the shadow sections adding smaller forms that correspond to the bigger form modeling.  The smaller forms have to work with the lights from the bigger form in order to make the overall light believable.  It's a tricky idea to understand but its quite simple overall, once you can see the general colors and light wrapping around a form then colors and details become easier to understand.

I carry the smaller forms or details tot he lighter section of the cabbage, I'm going back and forth from the darks to the lights and adjusting what needs to be.  Then I start adding the leaf that came with the cauliflower, doing the same as I did with the cabbage stating the bigger forms first.    

I then move onto the brussel sprouts and do the same.  What I'm trying to show is how important it is to model the bigger forms, if you can get that right in the beginning then the details or smaller forms become easier to illustrate.  The smaller forms have to work in conjunction with the bigger form modeling in order for it be believable.

Then I add the wooden block and start seeing the painting come together.  I add the colors really thin stating the lights from light to dark. 

Then I start to state the shadows and middle to darker values, which in turn I start to describe more of the details.  Then I start on the lighter values and tie them in with the middle to darker values.

I go back into the cauliflower and state the middle to darker values giving an atmospheric mood, this also emphasizes the light and turning of the form.  Then I go back into the brussel sprouts and do the same as I did with the cauliflower.

Once thats completed I move onto the background and use naples yellow, cerulean blue, and titanium white.  This is the completed picture of the painting, I'm glad I kept painting away at this painting.  It was tough to finish in certain areas due to the subject matter, but like I said I'm glad to have stuck it out and finished it.  I'm really happy with the finish result and hope you enjoyed the process.  Thanks for stopping by!