Pumpkin and Gourd on Glass, oil on linen panel, 10×10 inches
What an interesting painting challenge this was: strong warm light on a white gourd and a small pumpkin, with reflections and shadows on a shiny black plexiglass surface. Below are the steps as I worked on this painting (available for purchase on my DailyPaintworks gallery).
As usual there was one session where I did some “unauthorized painting” (see previous post for explanation) so the next session was all about trying to restore those areas. I’m trying to learn when to preserve the freshness of the “alla prima” first attempt and when to rework it. To see notes about each step and misstep, here is the link (PDF) to the Session Chart at the bottom of the post.
Session 1A: Drawing and block in in burnt umber
Session 1B: Started painting with color
Session 2: Painted all but gourd reflection
Session 3: Colored stripes and made gourd yellower
Session 4: Messed around with everything
Session 5: Done
Photo of set up
To see notes about each step and misstep, here is the link to the PDF Session Chart pictured above.
To see notes about each step and misstep, here is the link to the PDF Session Chart pictured above.
Have you downloaded a Session Chart? Do you find it interesting enough for me to keep uploading them? Do you prefer just seeing the work in progress steps without detailed commentary? Thanks for visiting!
Most of their decorative squash buddies had grown unsightly fuzz and gone off to the compost bin. But these three were still pretty and when I looked around for something to sketch last week, they cried out “Choose Me! Choose Me!” So I did.
I wanted to paint today. And I didn’t. I had a headache that wouldn’t go away and a bunch of boring, annoying chores to do. I had to return a jacket to Costco that was so wonderfully, fuzzy green but unfortunately, also oddly misshapen). The gas tank “empty” light in my car had been on for days (my least favorite chore, second only to dragging the trash cans out to the street, which I pay a neighbor boy to do).
I needed to go to Target for cat litter (and since Fiona only recently decided to start using the litter box again for ALL of her needs and not just some, I didn’t want to discourage her with a dirty box.) And I wanted to take a walk before the predicted week-long deluge of rain started.
So I sacrified a day in the studio that probably would have been a struggle anyway, feeling crummy as I did, and took off on a long walk to Radio Shack in Albany to buy new ear bud covers for my iPhone since one had disappeared.
Hints of tobacco and toilet?
On the way home, I stopped at Peet’s Coffee to sip and sketch. I saw this sign from across the room and thought “that can’t be right!” It was advertising their new coffee, Sumatra Blue Batak, claiming in fancy script that it was “Smooth and full-bodied” and had (what I thought I read) “…hints of tobacco and toilet…” . Huh!? I squinted and looked more closely and saw it said “hints of sweet tobacco and toffee” Even with the toffee though, I’m not sure I’d want to drink coffee that tasted like tobacco. Ick.
I completed all my errands, the headache is almost gone, and with Monday and Tuesday off, I still have two days to paint and enjoy being cozy in the studio while it rains.
Sorry to bore you with my stupid day and list of chores. Maybe I should have just posted the picture and then shut up?
Jana Bouc, Artist 