STILL LIFE PAINTING PROJECT

Colour sampler

Tonal circle in action

Next project in OCA book is to make a rough colour study of the original still life. I really struggled with this yesterday, was way too fussy, also way too spontaneous and could not get the tones properly, and wiped it all off at the end.  But a lot of colour and the ghost of the drawing was still there.  I like to rework a surface and started again today.  

This time I used Betty Edward's tonal wheel to assess the tones and also made a note of the main colours (hue, tone and intensity) before I started.  I tried to work slowly and deliberately.  I tested each shade against the tonal wheel (see card in photo), and raised and lowered the tone using white and black, which I would not normally do.

Eventually I got the main colours in, and began to see what is really important in the subject.  The paper flower in the foreground is low in tone, but really important as it links the objects together.  Things on left are too light in value still.  But it began to take on its own life.

I am pleased because I had a conscious idea of what I was doing with the colour.  The photo flatters my original BTW.

Same as above, but overpainted

Detail of above

Detail of above

Detail of above

 Painted over first attempt and worked over it again, trying to be very careful about assessing hues and tones and intensity.  Result is patchy, I quite like the details I have photographed, but overall there are difficulties particularly with box and the mug on the left. There is a feeling of light and space though.   I will leave this study for now, next step is to do another painting of the subject.  Will give that careful thought, what I want to emphasize and how large to make the piece.

Another version-more life in cup and mug