"Apple"

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"Apple"

5 x 7 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

Started with a dry brush approach as I always do, just have a slight of burnt umber on the brush and mediums.

After the drawing was completed I decided to fill in the base, just adding the mid value range of the colors with in the base.  I also added the cast shadow of the apple, my palette for the base was burnt sienna, yellow ochre, cadmium orange, permanent rose, and ivory black.

I then added the background color which was cerulean blue, naples yellow, and titanium white.  I made sure to blend the edges where the background meets the base so the focus can be on the apple.  Remember hard edges are never your friend when you paint, it only works well around the focal point.

I went into the apple and started from the shadows, I used permanent rose, and ivory black.  I just filled it in with a thin layer still no medium is being used.

Then I worried about modeling the big forms, going from dark to light tones or values.  I used permanent rose, cadmium red, titanium white and a little of cadmium orange.  I am always aware of my edges in the this stage, making sure the form is turning and not keeping hard edges.

Then I filled in the top portion of the apple where its lightest, I used cadmium yellow medium, naples yellow, viridian, and titanium white.  I started to mix some of the reds of the apple into the light yellows, I made it very subtle so the form can turn towards the stem area.

I went back into the shadows of the base and apple, I lightened the shadows in the apple.  I can tell already that I took it too far.  I also darkened the base where the cast shadow is stated.

I added the highlights to the apple in a thick impasto manner, I love doing this it picks up so much light and you can be so expressive with your brush strokes.  It's rather a small stroke but it serves its purpose for this painting.  Hope you enjoyed this one, thanks for stopping by and viewing my painting!

"Pepper"

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"Pepper"

5 x 7 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I was attracted to paint this pepper due to the process it goes through to change colors.  The reds coming in and the greens and yellows meshing into each other was neat to paint.  This process the pepper goes through fascinates me, and I wanted to somewhat capture that with this painting.  

I started with a dry brush approach no mediums just a bit of burnt umber on the brush.

Then I worked into my big form modeling, I went from dark to light tones with the local color of the pepper.  The colors I used were cadmium yellow medium, cadmium red, viridian, burnt umber and ivory black.

I started to add some lighter tones to the pepper but didn't take it further just wanted a general feel of it.  Then I started to add the base to the painting, I was using burnt sienna, cerulean blue, and titanium white.  You can see at this stage the blending is not important to me its just getting the right feel of colors in their correct placements.

I went back into the pepper and started to add the darker tones and play with the edges, I was also adding more colors within the pepper.  At this stage I usually go from mid tones to lighter tones then to dark tones, adding the darker tones in the end ties it all up for me.  Usually it's the other way around when painting, you want to state your darker tones first to properly judge value you'r going for.

I added the highlights in the end and also played with the reflections on the table.  This is the finished painting I hope you enjoyed this one!

"Orange"

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"Orange"

5 x 7 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

This is a small painting I did of an orange, it was so much fun too paint and so tasty after I painted it!  I wanted to go smaller in size with the canvas, I also like playing with the edge of the wooden base as far as composition goes.    

I started with a dry brush, a little of burnt umber and no medium.

Then I started to turn the form starting with the dark to mid tones.  I used Permanent rose, burnt umber, cadmium orange, and cadmium yellow medium.

Then I put the mid light tones which was cadmium yellow light and titanium white.  I am keeping the paints thin at this stage which makes it easier to work with and the drying time is much quicker.

Then I started on the base, I took it further than I usually do with the first stage but essentially did the same what I did with the orange.  I started from the darks and worked towards the lights with thin paints, I use no medium so its almost like a dry brush approach but just enough paint to move around and blend with other thin paints.  The colors I used was burnt umber, burnt sienna, cerulean blue, cadmium orange, ivory black, and titanium white.

Then I filled in the background with cerulean blue, naples yellow, and titanium white.  I went around the edges of the base and blurred them to have more of the focus on the orange.

This is the finished painting, I went back to the orange and restated the dark tones and also messed with the pit of the orange.  I stated the highlights with just titanium white and made it really thick to give the orange some texture.  The indents on the orange with darker tones are just thin paints on top of thin paints and constantly being aware how much pressure I apply on the brush.  I find a lot of similarities between drawing and painting, I hope you guys had fun with this one and thanks for stopping by!

"Carrots"

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"Carrots"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I have had the itch to paint carrots for a while and finally got the chance to do so, the staging was a little challenging to do because of all the stems coming off the carrots.  It can easily clutter the painting if not controlled right.  Thanks for stopping by and viewing, here is the process of the painting!

I started with a dry brush approach, no medium on the brush just a little of burnt umber.

Then I went into the darks of the stems, I used viridian, cobalt blue, and ivory black.  I also started to state some of the mid tones in the stems with cobalt blue, and cadmium yellow medium.  At this stage I am unsure how I want the stems to look, remember you are the director of the painting you can take things out that you think will not work with your composition.  At the same time I would not go as far as completely making the painting not look like what I am painting.  

Then I went into the carrots working from mid tones to darks, I used permanent rose, and cadmium orange.  Slowly working into the lights not going to fast you want to be aware of the pressure you are applying to the brush because that will determine the tone your putting down.

Then I put the mid light tones on the carrots, which was cadmium orange, and titanium white.

Then I proceeded to put the local color of the base, with such a larger mass to cover I was not worried with the pressure I was applying to the brush.  I just wanted to cover the base with the first thin layer and work into it.  I used burnt sienna, burnt umber, viridian, and permanent rose.

I then filled the background which was cerulean blue, ivory black, and titanium white.  You can see that I pushed the edges of the stems further back by softening them, this gives more attention the carrots.  I then went into the carrots and started to state the lighter tones, I used titanium white and cerulean blue.

After stating the lighter tones I went back into the mid and darker tones.  Then I started to add more of the smaller details such as the roots of the carrots, and refining the reflection of the carrots on the table.  This is the finished painting, hope you enjoyed this one and thanks again for stopping by!

"Mango Ataulfo"

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"Mango Ataulfo"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

These mangos were so much fun to paint, they are very unique.  I have never heard of these mangos before, I love going to the local market and finding unique fruits and vegetables from all over the world.  I also wanted to let everyone know that I will be teaching classical painting and drawing, and figure drawing at a new academy opening up in Minneapolis.  The name of the school is "Classical Academy of Art" you can see the website here, if you are interested in taking classes with me let me know or you can go to the site and sign up as well.  

I started with the usual dry brush approach, no mediums on the brush just a little burnt umber.

I then went straight into the darks of the mangos, using burnt umber, permanent rose, and ivory black.  I am keeping the paints really thin in this stage so it dries quicker.

Then I started to add the mid tones and a little of the lighter tones, I used viridian, cobalt blue, cadmium yellow light, cadmium orange, and permanent rose.  You can see that I am dabbing the colors in the areas they need to be in, I'm not pressing too hard with the brush so I can get the subtle tones that I want.  I treat the brush how I would treat my pen or pencil when I draw, each stroke you lay down you have to be aware of the tones and edges that you'r stating because it leads one to the other.

The highlights are then introduced after the mid tones are looking right, I go back and forth making sure that the form is turning with the values and chroma's that I am laying down.  Again these layers are pretty thin it's a good rule to always remember fat over lean, you want to progressively get thicker with your paints in each layer that you paint.  This will prevent your painting from cracking in the long term.

Then I added the base and a bit of information in it, this is a different base that I've painted before.  It was the bottom of a wooden tray that we use, I love the patterns it has.  I am laying down the paints thin and also going around the edges with the mangos and softening it and bringing some edges sharper, but again not going to thick with the paints.  The colors I used for the base was yellow ochre, burnt umber, permanent rose, and ivory black.

Then I added the background, I used cobalt blue, naples yellow, and titanium white.  Again just going with the background color around the edges of the mango's and base, making sure the edges are softening and meshing with the subjects.

I then went back into the base and started to add the lighter tones which was naples yellow, yellow ochre, and titanium white. I also went into the mangos and started to add more of the mid tones and darker tones, in this stage I start slowing down and be more aware of subtle tones within the mangos.

The highlights are stated as well with the mid tones in the mangos, I also went back around the mangos to clean the edges and look more presentable.  The overall painting was a delight to do, these mangos have subtle colors going into another which makes it so cool to paint.  I hope you guys enjoyed this one and thanks for stopping by!

"Red Radishes"

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"Red Radishes"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I had so much fun with this painting, it kind of reminded me of the grape series that I did.  The overall experience with this painting was extremely pleasant and always learning new methods on how to improve my technique.

I did the drawing in a dry brush manner no medium just very little burnt umber on the brush, then I went into the darks automatically since the majority of the painting is really dark.  I used ivory black for the first thin layer, I did this because it's easier to judge how light I have to go with my tones.

Then I started in the radishes, in this stage I used cadmium red, permanent rose, and ivory black.  I am just concentrating on the forms in this stage, making sure they are turning and looking believable.

I know I know, I skipped a lot of steps with the photos.  I apologize at times I get carried away painting and forget to stop and take a photo.  What I essentially did from the last pic to this one, I went into the leaves and just added the middle tones no highlights or details just making sure again that the form was turning accordingly to the lights.  Then I went into the base and added the middle tones, basically a dead coloring stage, no details just to get the feel of the base.  For the base I used titanium white, yellow ochre, and burnt umber.  As you can see with this picture I then went back into the radishes and introduced the lighter tones which was cadmium red, permanent rose, and titanium white.  I am dabbing where the highlights should be always being aware how much pressure I apply to the brush.  In the leaves I used cobalt blue and cadmium yellow light, and titanium white.  I am going back and forth with the darker tones to the middle and lighter tones, always being aware of the subtle tone shifts.  

I went back into the darks and added the second thicker coat of ivory black, when I say thicker its just slightly thicker than what I applied the stage before.  I am also making sure my edges are softening in there appropriate areas, then adding smaller details to the radishes such as their roots and skin textures.  

I then went into the base and started to add the details of the wooden base.  I used very little paint in this stage as well just being aware of the subtle shift of tones from one value to the other.  This is the finished painting, it was a real treat painting this one.  I am always learning things from these daily paintings, it's a great test to constantly push ones limits.  Thanks again and hope you enjoyed!

"Pineapple"

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"Pineapple"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

This is a painting that I have been wanting to do for a while, at this forum people voted for me to paint this pineapple.  I apologize for everyone who voted who had to wait for me to produce this painting, I also apologize for not posting in recent days I have been so busy and finally I am able to get back to the grinding wheel of painting and posting.  With this painting I decided to paint the pineapple in a different view instead of painting all in one composition, which I did my first go around and lets just say this view is way better.  I wanted to have it off centered and also have a sense of fall of light, the textures on the pineapple are really intricate to paint and tricky especially when one is limited on time.  Overall fun painting to make and hope to paint more of these guys in the future.

I started with my normal approach I always use no mediums just a little bit of burnt umber on the brush and draw out the subject on the canvas.

After the drawing is in the stage I want it to be, I went in and stated the mid tones then to the darker tones.  I am just dabbing the colors in the right areas and blending them after however much they need to be blended.  I am also not applying thick paints in this stage they are fairly thin when I start out.  The colors I used in the this stage are burnt umber, yellow ochre pale, viridian, french ultramarine blue, and ivory black.

I then started to form more of the shapes when the colors where starting to come out, I added the darks which were french ultramarine blue, and ivory black.  I went from the bottom to the top of the pineapple just going back and forth with the mid tones and lights, making sure forms where turning.  At this stage I was having a difficult time with the details in the pineapple in the bottom section, they are so unique looking.  It was tricky painting this section but learned a lot in the end when I was done.  I started to introduce some burnt sienna, yellow cadmium light, and titanium white in the mid light tones.  Then the leaves on the top of the pineapple I started to add some of the cool colors for the highlights which were cobalt blue, cerulean blue, and titanium white.

Then I moved on to the background, I used yellow ochre pale, burnt umber, cerulean blue and titanium white.  When I covered the background I made sure to pay attention the edges, It's extremely important to always be aware of your edges in every stage of you'r painting.  Edges can make or break a painting, its something one can easily overlook or over due, if done right it will take you'r painting to the next level.

This is the finished painting, I went back to the bottom half of the pineapple and worked the highlights.  I don't know if I am ready to do another pineapple, they are very challenging to do.  I learned a lot with this guy, struggled in certain stages of this painting especially when one is in a time crunch to finish the painting.  But I think thats what makes these paintings so exciting, to produce a good painting in such a short period of time, one gets to learn from its mistakes and successes and hopefully carry it onto the next painting.  Thank you for viewing, hope you had fun!