 |
| Developing the apples and cloth. Adding some variety of colors. The highlights on the red are a very pale green to make it pop and look shiny. I also used a darker green for the reflections. I scumbled some yellow and green onto the red cloth to soften it and make the apples stand out more. To scumble with the pastels I drag, very lightly, a different color over the color on the painting. I blend this with a hard pastel in a similar color rather than using my fingers too much. When you blend pastels you push them flat and they loose some of their brilliance. I do blend in the shadows and in skies sometimes or to make something look soft. Untouched pastels reflect more light off the pigment crystals or odd shapes and give more life to a painting. |
| Here is a closeup of the apples to show the detail. |
 |
|
Here is the set up. I did not brighten the photo to show that the color is closer to the apples in my painting, but you get the idea. I also left the leaves out of the painting as they had wilted by the time I got to them. Working from life rather than a photo allows you to see color in the shadows. A photo washes out the highlights as well. I work from life whenever I can. Sketching or painting. I enjoy plein air. Maybe the next demo can be a landscape. Check back. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
