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.

Early Morning Awarded First Place Award

I'm delighted to announce that my painting of our friends' granddaughter was awarded First Place in the Artists' Guild Gallery's December 2013 Exhibition in Delray Beach, Florida.

Early Morning has a young girl, in a beautiful white dress with a colorful border of flowers as the main subject. She is kneeling down to pour fresh milk into a shallow bowl for her very drowsy cat - just waking up from a morning nap. 

My favorite parts of the painting were the reflected glow of the dress (on the flower border), the texture of the cat's fur and the composition  itself (which continued to be modified as the painting developed).   Hope you enjoy the painting!

One Approach for Painting a Silver Teapot

"What is the best way to accurately paint the beauty of silver objects and their reflections?"  

Well, we can try painting silver "generically" with a variety of grayish hues and then depict the "shine" with assorted bits of white.  We could even blur where two values meet in an effort to create a "wavy reflection" - but the result will fall short of our goal - - rich color reflected in realistic silver.  

It may be more effective to actually forget the object is silver and simply paint the edges, values, colors and temperatures we see before us. If we can  focus on painting what we see, we will find the silver will appear all on its own!

The one additional insight that may help is realizing how important it is to accurately draw the object, including its silhouette, especially if it needs to be symmetrical. 



We can begin by carefully drawing the basic framework or outline of the object on the canvas a bit smaller than the actual object itself, which will leave room to slowly expand the dimensions until the object is accurate. (If we instead choose to draw the object full size right from the start, then it's difficult to reduce any incorrect dimensions without leaving behind evidence of the error.) 

In this painting, the background was filled in with assorted shades of green and allowed to dry.  Keeping track of the colors used to create the background came in handy when minor adjustments were later needed near the perimeter of the teapot. 

The greens used in the background were also used to create the green cloth on which the teapot rests.





Next, after the interior of the lid was nearly complete, the dominant colors in the body of the teapot and spout were laid in "following the contour of the form."  As we adjust the interior colors, staying within the confines of the object's silhouette will be very important.

Where the reflection of the table top and the cloth meet is depicted with a jagged "line."
Additional color is placed to depict the interior of the teapot and at the base of the neck.

Great care is being taken to remain symmetrical and to keep the values and colors correct.

It actually saves time when we look carefully first, analyzing the colors and values of the teapot.  Then we can move forward slowly and deliberately.  

After squinting down to see a more simplified version of the teapot, more colors are filled in and adjusted as needed. 

Symmetry is preserved and staying within the silhouette/border is crucial.

The top half of the teapot is the focus, the green cloth reflected in the lower half of the belly will be added next.

The neck, spout, and belly of the teapot, are nearly complete with patches of color.  The green cloth is being added to the reflection.  (Overall symmetry will eventually need a bit of adjustment.)

Bright highlights are added with sizes and shapes exactly as seen on the actual teapot, although the actual number used is reduced.

Next, determining the precise center of the teapot is important, as the first stroke of the base is placed beneath the belly of the teapot.

 

The top portion of the base is delineated and kept in the center of the teapot.  Reflections of the green cloth are melded with those already in the base. There is not a sharp break or line of demarcation between the belly and the base.

Notice on all sides of the teapot, there isn't a true outline, rather, the outline is suggested by assorted shapes of color that when combined form the teapot's silhouette

The pale lines used to define the top of the base are no longer visible.  The ring where the base and the foot of the base meet is defined. The foot itself is partially hidden by the green cloth.

Minor adjustments have been made to be sure the teapot remains symmetrical and level.

Next, the handle must be added to the teapot.









Here is the area where the handle will be added.

Care must be taken to begin the handle in the right place and end it in the correct spot.  It must appear sturdy and solid, yet elegant in its design.














 



To begin, a pastel pencil is used to create the basic arc of the handle.  Pastel is easy to erase if the first pass is incorrect.

While drawing the arc, constant back and forth comparison to the actual handle is very helpful in obtaining accuracy. 

If the handle is too large or too small, it will look odd and draw the viewer's attention.  If the handle is the right size, design and shape, it will become part of the teapot and not be seen as a separate element. 













Once the pastel arc seems correct, the arc is then suggested a bit more boldly with paint. 

We begin with a very thin "skeleton" handle and then flesh it out until it is the correct width.

Values have been kept accurate and great care was taken to stay within the confines of the width of the handle.  (Fortunately, therefore, the green background did not need to be matched and repainted!)

Here is the final version of the handle - with highlights on the detailed metal work on the outer rim, as well as the flourishes where the handle curls to meet the side of the teapot.










Here is the completed teapot. 
(The image is a bit hazy on the left due to the window light reflecting of the wet paint.)

 

Here is the teapot in context, with the crystal vase of roses and the green cloth.  Other elements will be added as the painting is completed.

 

Hope this blog entry was useful in helping to see one approach to painting a silver object.

 

Here is one other teapot you may want to see since it has a very different exterior (ribbed) and it was being hit with full sunlight when it was painted.

 

 

 

Painting Folds in Cloth (*In Shadow and Light)

The technique used for painting folds is similar to that for painting water - simply "forget" what you are painting! 

Of course we can't really forget we are painting cloth, but if we strive to ignore common thoughts such as, "I think folds should do this and folds ought to do that," we can instead focus on recording only what is there before us, and before long, it starts to resemble cloth!

Here are a few photos of a recent painting session with the various stages of painting a green scarf/shawl/cloth.

Stage One

Rough in the general folds with assorted temperatures of green.  The cool light from the window (left) creates cool/bluish greens.  The warm overhead light creates warmer ,and more vivid, yellow greens.

Stage Two

The cloth is filled in to create basic folds - hills, valleys, turns, reflections. Sharp and soft edges are formed.  A light burnt sienna is laid in to represent the table (just for now).

 

Stage Three

Lots of light is added - trying now to separate the cloth into only two sections, an area in shadow and an area in light.  Also added "reflected light" on folds and deepest shadow.

 

Also making sure the full area in the light has three parts/areas:  a "lightest-light, a moderate light, and a darkest-light."  Making sure the shadows have a "lightest-shadow area, a moderate shadow area, and a darkest shadow area." 

 

Stage Four

Backing up to see the painting as a whole - asking myself some questions:

 "Does it read as true?" 

 "Do I believe its dimentionality, its color, its texture, its shadows?" 

 

Suggestions:

 

If you squint, most of the shadow area is similar in value and entirely green, so how can we depict form within our shadow area? In a word, by using temperature!  Notice the use of warm and cool greens (rather than value changes) to depict the mountains and valleys of the folds. 

 

PS See you all in January!  Please feel free to comment - it's a competition!  Whoever figures out first how to comment to a blog post wins a prize to be awarded in class in January!

Ten Stages Used for Painting Cut Crystal, Water and Stems

One of the most  frequent questions still life enthusiasts ask is, "How can I paint water in a vase realistically?"   Very often, artists will paint a white, blue or green "glass color" for the silhouette of the vase and a "water line" to indicate how high the water is in the vase.  They may make the stems murky and tint them blue or green to imply they are submerged in water.  However, for a realistic look, it may be more effective to forget it is a vase of water and just paint the edges, values, colors and temperatures we see before us. We can paint what we see, and find the water will appear on its own in the vase!

Here are some step-by-step images that may help illustrate this idea.

Stage One:

Determine the size and shape of the vase. (Ask myself, "Does it seem to be able to hold all the flowers?  Is it perhaps too big, too small?  Do I need to eliminate any flowers so they seem natural, not staged?")  

(I decided to paint some background color over the rose that used to be on the far left - it was too far away from the vase to make sense and too "lined up.")

Next, background color was placed right up against the sides of the vase, creating the shape of the vase for the viewer.  

 

Stages Two and Three

 

Background color was added in and around the vase.  I paint any colors showing through the crystal vase, and through the water itself. I pay special attention not only to color, but to value and temperature as well - and transitions between colors are kept very subtle.

 

Stage Four

 

 The leaf caught inside the vase is simplified and the rim of the water is indicated, breaking the leaf into two sections, one above the water, and one in the water.  See how the section beneath in the water is less distinct?

 

Also, a prominent stroke of reflected light on the left of the vase is added.  One "imperfect" stem is also placed with moderate value, temperature and edges.  It's definitely touching the bottom of the vase. A pinkish reflected light is also added.

 

Stage Five

 

A second, greener stem is added. All stems must be carefully aiming toward the bloom of one of the flowers.

 

Stage Six

 

A few more stems are added, one in front of the others, and one behind the others.

 

Stage Seven

 

A fifth stem is added. Notice each is slightly different in color, value or temperature and all the edges are varied - some hard, some soft. The value is lighter and darker, sometimes from the left to the right, sometimes rom top to bottom. The bottom of the vase has been more defined.

 

Stage Eight

 

The last of the stems are added.  Four evenly spaced cuts in the crystal are begun.  They vary a great deal (within each one, and as compared to each other). Notice they do not stay the same value for long, nor the same color - they are reflecting surrounding colors as well as both direct and indirect light.

 

Stage Nine

 

Additional cuts in the crystal at the top area of the vase are added.  Any cuts not seen are not painted (very tempting to add what "should" show, but doesn't). The cuts are made with bold colors reflected from the foliage and surroundings.

 

 

Stage 10

 

Close up of the rim of the vase, with start of cuts in crystal.

 

 

 Stage 11

Final version of vase - before teapot and other objects are added.

 

               Coming up in the next post, the green cloth (in light and shadow) and draped near and around the vase!!

 

 

 

Painting a Rose - Hit by Full Light

Here is "Part 3" of the Process for Painting Roses

In the previous two posts, I described a process I have found helpful for painting roses. 

First, I emphasized the importance of getting the size and silhouette correct as you find the correct values with which to fill in the different areas of your rose. (It's interesting how the silhouettes of roses are always so different from one another, yet we always recognize a rose silhouette when we see it!)
Next, I stressed the need to stay aware of temperature and color saturation. 

In this post, I am focused on the need to avoid using lines or dabs of color, but rather to build the form of the object with your strokes, paying close attention to both saturation and temperature. Try to notice the direction and other qualities of the strokes you see.

Remember -  you can click on any image to ENLARGE it.

 

1. Starting with a much warmer block in - since the bright light (from the above right) that is hitting the rose is warm in temperature.

2. Carefully adding rich darker values to the block in.

 

3. Adding cooler petals that are reflecting the blue light coming from the window to the left.

4. Adding very rich, golden light shining through the petals.  

 

5. Cutting in with the green of the background to create a more accurate silhouette (see petal on the far left/top).  Adjusting the values to be more consistent with the rose I see before me.

6. Adding the very high value edges of petals that are being hit directly by the light above.  

7. Backing up, now and then, to be sure the values and colors/temperature/intensity are reading correctly in relationship to the rest of the painting.   

8. This is also when the shadows cast by the center petals onto the outer petals were finalized.

 

8. The completed rose!

 I hope this series of three "mini lessons" was able to give you some insights for painting roses.