"Blood Oranges II"

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"Blood Oranges II"

6 x 8 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

Today I wanted to paint these beautiful blood oranges again but this time with a red cloth.  As I've mentioned in previous posts I really enjoy trying to capture the texture of things, today was definitely one of those days were it tested my abilities to do so.  From the wrinkles of the cloth to the soft subtle tones in the oranges and to the grainy wooden board.  All of them unique in their own way but meshing well together.  I was also able to mix my older approach to my new one of course shifting things here and there, for the most part I was pleased the way they worked together.    

I started with the usual dry brush approach just using a bit of raw umber on the brush and no mediums.  Once the drawing was established I painted the background and the back section of the red cloth.  The colors I used for the background were ultramarine blue, titanium white and naples yellow.  For the red cloth I used naphthol red, cad. red, raw umber and ivory black.  When working in the cloth section I start by just laying in the values with their appropriate colors to match the hue.  I keep the transitions soft and make sure to not have any hard edges, this is my beginning layer and want to keep it as thin as possible.  

Then I start by adding the darker values and their specific forms, by doing this I start sculpting into the initial layer.  Once the darker forms are about complete I then paint in the lighter values with their specific forms.  By now I start to see the section coming to a completion, I start going back and forth from the darker values and pushing it to compliment the lighter values.  

Then I repeat the same process with the red cloth in the middle ground.

Once that section is complete I then move onto the first blood orange.  I start by painting the big form modeling in which the light is wrapping around the form.  Laying in a close approximation were each value scale should go with the right chroma to compliment it.  I also make sure to keep this stage of the painting thin, making sure the form is turning and it looks dimensional.  The colors I used for this section were cad.orange, cad.yellow pale hue, naphthol red, raw umber and ivory black. 

Once the big form modeling is complete I start to state middle to darker values with their specific forms.  When adding the smaller forms in this section I am able to use the initial layer that I stated in the big form modeling stage, this helps my blends go smoother and quicker it keeps a unified look.  It also allows me to go thicker and textured if desired to do so, it gives me the control i'm looking for within each section.  Once that section is about complete I start on the lighter values and highlights.  By the time I get to the end of this stage I am able to go back to the previous section,  I alter some values and chroma's that I didn't notice when the lighter values were not painted.

I repeat the same process with the second blood orange.

Once the blood oranges are complete I then start on the on the wooden board.  First painting the fall of light by keeping the values and colors generalized.  At this stage i'm not looking for details just a generalized information of the light and color.  I also make sure to keep this stage as thin as I can, doing so makes it easier to build layers and keep control.  The colors I used for this stage were raw umber, titanium white, ultramarine blue, cad.orange, and ivory black.

Then I paint in the middle to darker values with their specific forms, I start narrowing in the smaller forms by adding its specific characteristic.  I do the same when adding the lighter values and highlights.  After this stage is complete I go back around and see if I need to push anything or if I've missed a certain part.  I go back into the background and grey it down a bit, I thought it was competing with the foreground for the most part.  Well this painting definitely was a longer one to explain with each of its intricate sections.  It was so much fun painting them and also being able to explain each section, thank you for stopping by and viewing.

"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! 

  

"Pear in Red"

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"Pear in Red"

10 x 8 in 

Oil on Canvas Panel

I did this painting today in the middle of the million things I had to do, glad I did though I had so much fun with yesterdays painting I wanted to continue that today.  This time I actually painted a pear other than yesterdays painting looked like pear's.  I wanted to also have it in a black box to add more drama to the painting.  I always love the baroque paintings that implore these type of lighting compositions.  It was a challenge to paint such a dark background in one passage especially when it involves different elements that are mixed into it.  What I was striving for was having the pear be the central focus with the lighting and have the rest of the light shimmer across the red cloth.  I had a lot of fun painting this one especially that it was different than my normal alla prima's, I'm excited to see what else I can do with these type of compositions and lighting situation.  Till then thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this one!

Setup of my little still life with a make shift shadow box, using natural light as the main light source.