Three Apples Study

Three Apples Study/ oil on canvas on board/ 5.5 x 13/ HH Gallery

This is a painting I have worked on and seen progress over the last months. Compositionally, this used to be five apples that were boring and fairly realistic. I love cutting through the edges and adding bits of color into the background. It makes the apples feel more interesting to me and even makes the painting have some movement.

Pair of Apples Study

Pair of Apples/ oil on canvas board/ 6 x 8/ revised

I am working toward integrating my foreground abstractly into my background in alma my paintings. This is an oil that accomplishes that for me.

The design of this little painting required a small adjustment (see below). Although I had originally blocked in two apples of different shapes and colors, they morphed into twin shapes. I think the small change in size adds interest.

Here is the same painting before a small modification is the right apple size.

Apples Completed

This is the painting "completed".

Artist Note: The colors listed previously were added in thin glazed layers and when dry, the highlights were gently lifted out using a soft synthetic brush.
I like the warmth of these colors.
Sometimes, seeing a painting photographed gives me a different perspective.  Although this painting is "completed", I am fairly certain that later today, I will apply another thin glaze to the left side of the background and work a little on the reflection of the left (as you look at the painting) apple. Once done,  I will repost.

Work in Progress 2

There has been a lot done since yesterday's photograph. The right side (as you look at the painting) of the background is fairly close to completion. The green apple (which is my center of interest) is what I painted first after the background. This was also painted with thin layers of paint.

Artist Note: The colors included Schminke indian yellow, aureolin,  translucent orange, and sap green, Daler Rowney alizarin crimson, Holbein cad red light, Daniel Smith  indanthrone blue, and quoin gold for the apples and reflections, The reflections all had some of the background colors added to them to "grey-down" their colors.

My artistic goal for this painting was to have it "feel" like an old master's oil painting: rich, dark and warm.......

Study #1: Reds

Study #1: Reds/ oil on canvas/ 6 x 8/ $75

While I have not been posting, I have been painting. Large, complicated, slow paintings and small quick studies of still life objects.
For daily painting exercise, I will work on a small still life setup for the next month. I will put the ones I like on DailyPaintworks and continue to learn from others. Let's see what a month of directed effort can do.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/study-1-reds/184350