"Black Grapes"

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"Black Grapes"

10 x 8 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

I wanted to try a different composition with these beautiful grapes, I pictured this setup in my mind when I was in the kitchen and when I put the two objects together I knew it was right.  There's something about the rustic old vase combined with the grapes that compliment each other really well.  I also like the subtle cool colors these two create, when working on the vase it was a challenge trying to recreate its textures.  Painting the grapes was so much fun from the darkest values to the lightest texture applied.  Grapes have so much beautiful little textures within them if captured correctly it'll push the painting to that next level.  Since the painting is done I can truly enjoy eating these delicious grapes! 

I wasn't going to do process photos with this one but then decided last second to do so, I've been so busy that I don't have time to do these process photos glad I did though it's been to long.  I also wanted to do them to celebrate the weekend being here, these last couple weeks have been really hectic with teaching and getting bigger paintings complete that doing these alla prima's have been tight on time to do.  I really do enjoy sharing my process and miss doing that although I did get used to just going from one stage to the other without stopping and taking photos, I caught myself doing that a couple times I had to slow down for the majority of this painting.  As stated before glad to have done the process photos, I hope in the future I'm able to do them on a consistent basis.

I started with a bit of raw umber on the brush for the drawing stage.  As you can see with the picture I erased a bit to change the proportion of the overall painting, I felt it would of sat better compositionally not being so large on the canvas.  Incase your wondering I erase with my fingers not with any solvents.

Once the drawing is complete I stated the background with ultramarine blue, naples yellow, and titanium white.  Once the background is stated I then start to fill in the rustic vase by laying in big form modeling with its general colors, I'm not worried about details at this point just how the light wraps around the form and it's general colors.  

Once big form modeling is complete I then move onto small form modeling, I first concentrate on the darks and state their specific forms also adding reflected lights to turn more of the form.  Then I start on the lighter values by adding their specific forms and finish it off by stating their highlights.  The colors I used for the vase were ivory black, titanium white, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, cad.orange, and cad.red light. 

Once the vase is complete I move onto the black grapes and add its general color which is ivory black.  Since there are so many grapes and you can't just do big form modeling with all of them at once I just add black right away for a base, then I model each grape with its general light and color.  I also worked on the stem at the same time as I did the grapes.  The colors I used for the grapes were ivory black, ultramarine blue, cad.red light, and titanium white.  For the stem I used ultramarine blue, cad.yellow light, yellow ochre, ivory black and titanium white.

I leave the highlights towards the end to pop the painting and bring it to a finish.  I hope you guys have  a good weekend, thanks for stopping by and viewing.