Painting White Porcelain in Direct Overhead Light

Creating the Under- Drawing

Here is the under-drawing for a white porcelain pitcher. 

Notice the canvas was left white so the pitcher can be painted fresh and bright in some areas - without influence from any other under-painting color  (i.e. no green is present under the pitcher).

It is very important to get the perspective correct now, before starting the painting - so the pitcher appears turned away from us, rather than in profile.

The Drawing is Further Refined

The overall symmetry is affected by the fact the pitcher is not in true profile.

It is also important to accurately depict the angle of the opening of the pitcher.


Both "V" shaped sections must appear to be going off to the same vanishing point.

The sides of the spout must also "read correctly.

The handle must appear to "line up" with the body of the pitcher, the opening and the spout.



 

Filling in the Background Color

Using the same combination of greens as already used in the background, the area around the pitcher is filled in carefully.

Notice the background color cuts a bit into the area reserved for the pitcher.  This is done to avoid a "halo effect" - we don't want to leave any open space between the background color and the object itself. 

After filling in the green around the pitcher, the pitcher can be enlarged back to its original size.  

Starting to Find the Right Colors to Depict White Porcelain in Shadow

Why is the neck of the pitcher in shadow?    The bright light on the pitcher is directly overhead.   This created a body shadow that reaches down the neck to the belly area of the pitcher.  The goal is to find color to represent "dark" white porcelain - because it is in shadow.

(*Notice the form shadow stops when the bright overhead light begins to hit the protruding belly of the pitcher.) 

The Pitcher Needs to Appear Solid

Creating accurate indentations down the side and back of the painted pitcher - following the shape/form of the actual pitcher we are using in our still life set up.

Assorted violets, blues, pinks, oranges and greens are used to depict both the white porcelain as well as all the colors reflected in it's surface.









 Reflections in the Porcelain

The pale blue window light is carefully captured in the reflection on the neck of the pitcher.

It is not white - rather, it is a very light, crisp blue. The thickness of the porcelain needs to be shown - so a creamy white line is added here and there along the edge located around the mouth of the pitcher.

The inside of the pitcher is also filled in - including areas of reflected light, those in direct light and indirect shadow areas.

Notice the handle still looks "pushed back," and needs to be pulled forward so it can line up better with the body of the pitcher.






Getting the Perspective Correct and
Adding Reflected Color
 
The handle is redrawn so it is placed at the correct angle - lining up with the spout, mouth and body of the pitcher.   Quickly look back an forth at this image and the previous image to see the slight, but important, adjustment that was made to the handle.

(Notice the shape of the space within the handle, not just the handle.)

White light from above is bouncing off the belly of the pitcher, while assorted colors are reflected underneath the belly - and along the handle, and under the lip of the opening.


The Pitcher in Context

The final image shown (left) is overly dark - so the white pitcher appears to be much darker than it is in the actual painting.

Nonetheless, this image does show us the context of the white pitcher to the rest of the objects in the painting.  We can see it is proportionally correct.  We may need to adjust the colors in the pitcher further once flowers are added near its base.