Painting Glass

I apologize for this inferior photo.....photography is not one of my better skills.  But, working with this photo, you can see a glass object with some pattern to it.  My best description of painting glass objects is......Don't paint the glass, paint the air inside and around the glass.  In other words, the background is green so paint the glass green with white to increase its opacity and darker shades of the green to show its form and shadow.  Avoid pure white highlights.  Tint your whites a bit.

Painting Drapery

The most challenging subject for me to paint is drapery.  If I had studied in a classical atelier, I would have had months of study and practice of painting cloth.  Alas, being self taught, its the one thing I ignored, thinking it a boreing subject.  Not So!!!!   Again, if it seems too complex, I make myself focus on just the form and getting the folds and creases into position.  Then I go back and take a small part at a time, and really get into refining it  until I have convincing fabric. 

Painting Gold

This object is not as hard as it looks.  Whenever you have an object with a lot of intricate patterns or designs, paint the form first, paying attention to the light and shadow.  Keep it simple!!!!   Then go back and paint in the details but don't paint them verbatim.  It's ok to leave some parts out.  Again, make the pattern or design simple, let the viewer's eyes and mind fill in what you have left out.   Colors here are Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Scarlet, Zinc Yellow and Titanium White.

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Painting the Lemon

This lemon is the same lemon I use over and over in my still lifes.  But, each time, I try to change the position of it or the curl of the lemon peel.  Colors used for the lemon are, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre,Cadmium Yellow,  Zinc Yellow, and Titanium White.   I used a bit of Ultramarine Blue to cool the white pith of the peel.

Painting Olives

My favorite part of this painting is the wet olives.  I felt like I really pulled this one off.  Colors used here were Ivory Black, Zinc Yellow, Raw Sienna and of course Titanium White.  It amazes me that Black & Yellow make this lovely olive green

Painting Pewter

Painting pewter is much easier than glass.  I did not have to worry over transparency like I did with the overturned goblet.  Colors used here were, Ivory Black, Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna and Titanium White.  Oh and a bit of Zinc Yellow,  I mixed into the white to warm the highlights.  The Dutch were fond of painting symbolism into their still life works.  Can you find the hidden skull in this painting?  It represents death or the brevity of life.  This painting is called a Vanitas painting and is all about getting right with God, because even though this world is wonderful and full of pleasures, before you know it, it's over.