"Crab Apples III"

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"Crab Apples III"

8 x 10 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

This is the last of the series of crab apples, I really enjoyed painting them and their textures.  They really force you to slow down and observe what you'r painting.   At times I know I go to fast and miss certain information that will improve the painting, with this series of paintings that was not the case.  I was really happy to also re-visit small and big form modeling.  It's essential for any artist to understand that concept of turning the form with light, to grasp the idea of how to turn the form and make it dimensional.  I'm glad I painted these guys and look forward to painting them again in the future.

I also wanted to let you guys know I'll be gone starting tomorrow for about a week on vacation to Miami.  I'm really excited to meet up with an old friend and just hang out, I might bring my painting equipment but still not sure.  I cannot fathom the idea of not painting for that amount of time, I most likely will but if you don't hear from me you know where I'll be!

I started with usual dry brush approach using a bit of raw umber on the brush.  When the drawing is complete I stated the wooden base and the table top along with the background.  The colors I used for the background were cobalt blue, naples yellow and titanium white.  When stating the base and table top i'm first concerned with the fall of light on the object, I do this by going from dark to light and stating its general colors.  I'm not concerned with the details at this point just transition of dark to light and also keeping the edges soft.

Then I state the smaller forms and break into two sections, first starting with the darker to middle values. Once that's complete I start on the lighter values and highlights.

Once the wooden board is complete I start on the first crab apple, again just worrying about big form modeling and not any details or smaller forms.  It's imperative to understand this stage in order for the smaller forms to work correctly.  With big form modeling I state the darkest to the lightest values, I do this in order to make the form turn.  If it's not turning in the big form modeling stage when you state the smaller forms you'll run into more problems than you should.  Once the big form modelings is complete I start on the smaller form modeling and again breaking it up into two sections, first starting with the darker to middle values.  

Then I state the lighter values and their highlights to finish the first crab apple.  I then move onto the other crab apples and work on them simultaneously, I do this because they're side by side and their values effect each other.  Again starting out first by just concentrating on big form modeling.  I usually take my time at this stage making sure the transitional values are working right, I'm not concerned in getting it done in a quick manner.   

Then I add the smaller form modeling once the big form modeling is complete.  Remember the only way small form modeling works right if the big form modeling is done correctly, the two go hand in hand. 

I take the painting to a finish after adding the stems, I enjoy leaving them till the end I think it gives them so much life.  I hope you guys had a clearer understanding of my approach with small and big form modeling.  I cannot stress enough on how important it is to understand that concept, at times I loose sight of it and see that my paintings suffer.  I hope you guys enjoyed this one as much as I did, thanks for stopping by.