"Fig Lecture"

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"Fig Lecture"

8 x 10 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

I wanted to do another painting of these delicious figs, this time really observing their textures and subtle colors.  Texture is what makes the object your painting feel as if its alive in a painting, its important to understand how vital it is.  The colors of these guys are also beautiful to paint, they have so much subtle color shifts it was fun trying to paint them and achieve its beauty.  Painting the wooden board was also another treat, having its texture and color I believe meshes well with the figs.  Overall a fun painting to do, hope to incorporate these guys in a future still life painting.

I started with the usual dry brush approach using no mediums and a bit of raw umber on the brush.  Once the drawing is established I then state the shadow shapes on the figs and fill in the background, the colors I used for the background were ultramarine blue, naples yellow and titanium white.  

After filling the background in I then fill in the shadow shapes, this stage is different than my regular process.  I usually just big form model with their general colors and mesh the shadows within the modeling.  I wanted to try something different I learned this back at school and have been teaching it for a while but for some reason never applied it to my alla prima's, I usually apply it to my longer paintings.  Establishing shadow shapes lets you separate the lights and darks, the two hues do not have to mix with each other which keeps the colors clean.  After filling in the shadow shapes I then establish the general colors in the lighter shapes, I just state where the color are on the object keeping the edges soft and not modeling the form yet.

When the colors are working I then work on big form modeling, this means I go where the shadow and light shape edge meet and mesh them together to turn the form.  I also establish the lightest lights to really  show the turn in the highlights with out adding details, remember I'm not concerned with details at this stage just a general statement of colors and making sure the form is turning with the light.  Then I add small form modeling by breaking it up into two sections, the first section is stating the darker values with their specific forms.

Then I add the lighter values with their specific forms, usually after this stage is complete it brings this section to a finish.  The colors I used on the figs were  ivory black, ultramarine blue, cobalt violet, viridian, cad.yellow light, naphthol red, cad.red light, and titanium white.  When the figs are complete I then start on the wooden board by stating the general colors and the fall of light.  The colors I use for the wooden board are burnt umber, raw umber, cad.orange, ivory black, ultramarine blue and titanium white.

After the fall of light is established I break down the small form modeling into two sections, the first is stating the darker values with their specific forms.  Then I add the lighter values and their specific forms, doing this brings the whole painting to a finish.  I hope you enjoyed this one, I know I did, it was nice painting the texture in this painting from the figs to the board.  Textures to me (if you haven't noticed by now) is the most important thing to learn how to paint, its what makes whatever you'r painting feel that its alive.  The more I observe and really see the better I believe the painting can be.  

"Figs"

Click here to purchase this painting at my Etsy store

"Figs"

6 x 6 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

I've never painted figs before and felt that it was time to do so, as you guys have noticed already I enjoy painting an object with textures.  Figs nonetheless has lots of textures they also have a bunch of colors going in an out of areas, challenging yes but a lot of fun learning how to paint them.  I wanted to bring back the wooden board to compliment the colors and textures of the figs.  I do enjoy the subtle value shifts and colors of these figs, I hope to paint more of these in the near future.

I started with the usual dry brush approach using a bit of raw umber on the brush and no mediums.  After the drawing is complete I stated the background and wooden base, by just adding the general colors and fall of light on the wooden board.  The colors I used on the background were ultramarine blue, naples yellow and titanium white.  The colors I used for the wooden board were raw umber, cad.orange, and ivory black.

Then I state the darker values with there specific forms and do the same with the lighter values, doing so brings it to a finish.

After the board is complete I start on the figs by stating their general color and big form modeling, the colors I used were ivory black, naphthol red, ultramarine blue, and cad.yellow light.  I work on all the figs at once to create a unity with the finish.  Once thats complete I start on the small form modeling by breaking it up into two sections, first section I like starting with the darker values and their specific forms.

Then I state the lighter forms with their specific forms and bring the painting to a finish.  Even when I get to the finished stage I like to go back and see what needs to be pushed lighter or darker.  I also like to see add textures in areas that probably are not being pushed enough, sometimes areas may look dull and thats where the artist comes in and puts his signature on the painting.  One has to not only stay true to nature but push the realm of beauty and the feeling of life.

"Poinsettia"

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"Poinsettia"

10 x 8 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

These poinsettia I thought would be nice to paint to continue the feel of the holidays.  Haven't painted flowers in a while and it was a little tough in the beginning to get used to.  Painting the gold wrapping under the poinsettia was also a challenge, to get the wrinkles and shine to come through the form took a while to achieve.  As mentioned in previous post I really love painting texture and this painting really took me up on that statement, it has so many different subtle textures happening creating those transitions were beyond challenging.  Although it was tough for the most part it was also a lot of fun to do, I learn something every time I finish one of these little guys.  I know I've said a million times that I learn a lot but its true either revisiting old techniques or improving my current one, its always showing me and teaching me something with every painting.  I hope you guys enjoyed this one, thanks for stopping by and viewing! 

Just a reminder I'm doing a portrait painting this Saturday at Art Resource Gallery in Edina, Minnesota.  Come down and check out the great art work in the gallery and heckle me as much as you can!

"Forelle Pears 2"

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"Forelle Pears 2"

10 x 8 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

After a well rested weekend with friends, I'm ready to paint today and continue the theme from last sessions alla prima.  I really enjoy painting this red cloth it can be tricky to paint because of its brightest value, one can easily mix white into it and it turn pink instead of bright red.  These pears as stated in the previous post go well with the red cloth.  As you may have noticed already with my alla prima's I enjoy trying to paint texture, painting these pears definitely gave me a run for my money pertaining to textures.  I do enjoy painting smooth surfaces and getting subtle value transitions but I enjoy more trying to paint texture.  Texture definitely takes painting to a different realm, one can feel the surface of the object you'r painting, it gives the impression as if the paintings alive and breathing.  Going beyond just trying to over blend every section of the painting, closely observe the particular object you'r painting and try to paint the texture it has, doing so will give a hint of life to the painting.

I wanted to let you guys know that I'll be doing a portrait painting this Saturday at Art Resource Gallery in Edina, Minnesota.  I'll be doing the painting from a photo, I wish it can be from life but the sitter is 6 years old and the lady who's wanting me to paint the portrait says he wouldn't sit still.  It'll be fun either way and excited for it, I also hope to be done with my largest still life I've ever painting.  Hopefully I'll be done with it and have it there for the painting demo.  

I started with the usual dry brush approach using no mediums and a bit of raw umber on the brush.  After the drawing is complete I filled in the background and red cloth, I started with just the general colors and big form modeling.  For the background I used ultramarine blue, naples yellow and titanium white.  Colors for the red cloth were cad. red light, naphthol red and ivory black.  At this stage I'm concerned with just modeling the form, having the light wrap around the form and keeping the chroma as light as I can in the lighter areas.  

  

After the big form modeling is complete I started to state the smaller forms, I like to break this stage into two sections.  The first section I state the darker values with its specific forms.  Once that's complete I state the lighter values with its specific forms.  

Once the red cloth is complete I start to state the pears with its general colors and big form modeling.  The colors I used for this stage were naphthol red, cad.red light, cad.yellow light, naples yellow, viridian and ivory black.  When the big form modeling is complete I state the smaller form modeling, again first starting with the darker values and their specific forms.

Then I state the lighter values with their specific values and highlights, I also state the stems when the pears are completed.  After the stems is complete I go back around the whole painting and see what needs a finishing touch, after doing that the painting is complete.  I hope you guys enjoyed this one, thanks for stopping by and viewing!  

"Forelle Pears"

Click here to purchase this painting at my Etsy store

"Forelle Pears"

5 x 7 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

These pears are neat looking and their named Forelle, I want to know how they came up with that name?  A lot of these fruits I've painted have some odd names to them and I've always wondered how do they go by naming them, interesting to say the least.  The coloring on their skin is really nice the way it goes from light green to yellow and red, a beautiful array of colors going from one to the other.  I also thought it'll be nice to pair it up with the red cloth that i've painted before, for some reason I think it compliments these pears pretty well.  Last but not least the wooden board is peeking out in the corner reminding us that its still here, I like to say its been nice to not paint it for a while but I do miss it at times.  Thank for stopping by and viewing hope you enjoyed it!