Tag: fruit

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photoshop Sketchbook Pages Still Life Watercolor

FIGuratively Speaking

Figs on Photoshop Manual, Pencil and watercolor, 6x9
Figs on Photoshop Manual, Pencil and watercolor, 6x9

These organic figs were disappointingly tasteless and so they became still life subjects instead of eating objects. I’ve been using the heavy Photoshop manual (seen under the figs)  as a weight on top of the the Fabriano Venezia sketchbook when I scan it. My new copy of Photoshop CS4 doesn’t come with a manual, although there is one online that can be downloaded and saved.

I’m one of those weird people who actually read manuals. When I get a new application I always read the manual first, to find out what the program can do and then I refer to it when I need to figure out how to do one of those things.

I don’t like reading on the computer but I refuse to pay another $55 for a manual that should have been included in the first place. In the meantime, the old manual makes a very nice paperweight or doorstop (or still life holder). 824 pages! And I read/skimmed the whole thing when I got it.

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Art supplies Art theory Glass Lighting Oil Painting Painting Photos Still Life Studio

Painting a Still Life Using The Carder Method”

Still Life with Tangelo, oil on gessobord, 12x12"
Still Life with Tangelo, oil on gessobord, 12x12"

Inspired by Casey’s success with the Carder Method and frustrated with my own slow progress at oil painting, I bought the Carder Method video and  Color Checker tool. Below are step by step photos of my using the method to paint this still life, a brief review of the Carder Method and photos of my studio set up for working with it.

The Carder Method is designed to eliminate many of the problems that can make painting difficult. By creating an carefully lit, controlled environment, a painter can focus on learning to clearly see color and value differences while eliminating problems caused by variables such as changing light.

Click “Continue Reading” to see photos and read more….

Continue reading “Painting a Still Life Using The Carder Method””
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Life in general Oil Painting Painting Still Life

Jumbo Apricots – Quick Oil Study

Jumbo Apricots - Quick oil sketch

(larger)

I did this painting before bed last night, giving myself just an hour or two to complete an oil sketch. The panel I was using was a bit slick so the paint wasn’t sticking as well as I’d have liked but I was reasonably pleased with the attempt.

While I was painting my wonderful next door neighbors brought me a huge bouquet of flowers for my birthday. For some reason, as each of the three kids and their parents said “Happy Birthday!” and gave me a hug I said “Happy Birthday to you too!” It wasn’t until I’d said it three or four times that I realized it made no sense. Since English is their second language, maybe they thought that’s just another odd American custom (or another odd Jana-ism). They already thought it was weird enough that I was spending my birthday evening by myself in my studio.

But of course painting is what makes me happy and I get to do what makes me happy on my birthday. I told them I’d paint the flowers the next day (and then realized I’d already started painting them as I’d answered the door with several painty brushes in my hand, and the paint was getting all over the bouquet wrapper.

I started the day with my annual tradition of a hike to Fat Apples Restaurant for a French Apple Pancake with my sister, my niece, and my best friend Barbara. We’ve been doing this every year for at least ten years and it was great spending time together and the pancake/souffle was perfect.

About the painting: Oil on panel, 10×8

Categories
Art theory Oil Painting Painting Plein Air Still Life

Citrus and Camelia Plein Air

Citrus & Camelia Plein Air

Oil on panel, 9×12″ (Larger)

You really have to work fast to do a still life outdoors in the afternoon. In less than two hours the sun moved overhead far enough that I had to stop because everything was in shadow. I’d gotten all the objects and their shadows well blocked in and probably should have stopped there, calling it a sketch or a study. But of course I couldn’t.

I had to bring it into the studio to “just touch up the edges.” Then I was going to do another quick painting. But I spaced out and before I knew it, overworked areas that I’d originally painted very freely, made more problematic since I’d forgetten exactly what the pattern of light and shadow was on the objects.

Someday I’ll learn to stop while it’s fresh. Nevertheless, I think I did capture the feeling of a bright sunny afternoon, which was my main goal.