It's done.  I kept one of the pieces (#2) but the rest I've decided to give to the CIBC promo for the Breast Cancer Society.  I' really happy to have experimented with many medias and I am discovering my "voice". Finally.

Thank you for your support during this journey.

Best,

L

Still working on it

No point in adding a new picture.  I'm still working on this big one and adding thin coats of paint.  It hasn't advanced as far as I would like, but I'll get there, eventually.

Next week I'll put up another image of where I'm at.  see you then

Colours and tone

Fist coat. Trying to keep the cool colours in the background and warmer colour in front. Only the first full colour and tone application. Lots of work still to be done.

 

Step by Step

The first step in this new technique I'm using is to apply a thick coat of tinted plaster that I've mixed with thick medium to allow for some flexibility.  The difficult part is the drawing of the subject that, in a way, is sculpted into the plaster before it dries.  Here are the results of this first coat.  This process takes approximately 4 days to dry.

It is only after this coat has completely dried and I've applied a thick coat of Clear Gesso that I am able to proceed with the paint.  I use Acrylic paint mixed with thick medium.  This process takes approximately 4 days to dry.

In this series the background base colour is Prussian Blue mixed with some Sap Green at times and/or Bright Aqua Green or Light Emerald Green.  I lighten the colour with Titanium white if needed.  I use a thick bristle brush so i can get into the grooves of the texture at first, and then with a slightly different mixture, I apply a light surface coat to allow the undercoating to show through.  I repeat this throughout the painting that can take up to 3 weeks.  I imagine, because of this 20 x 30 size, it will take me at least until the end of the month.

 

next week, I begin with applying coast of paint on the apples themselves.  See you then.

Working on it.

I'm not ignoring the Blog, I'm a little busy and I've prepared the basic drawing and surface for the next painting.  Because this one is 20"x30", it requires molding gel and drying time.  There's no point right now to put up what is prepared because it's basically dark grey and we can't really see anything in photo. 

Next week, I'll put up the first pictures...  Hope you will join me then.

Lynn

The 5th and final

This is the last Apple image that I will work on for this project. The 5th, which represents a complete composition and spread of apples within a context. it will be the largest of the series, but the actual size is not exactly decided on.

To begin the study,  I decided to play with the image on the computer, defining contour and form., and I ended up with a flared representation that seems interesting to me.

Let's see what I can end up with this one...  Any suggestions?

Knowing when to stop

It's difficult to know when to stop painting.  You can keep on going until you obtain photorealism.  This was not my intent.  This is my attempt to produce an Impressionist painting.  Although I used mediums that were not available during that period, I now have more appreciation for Van Gog and his thick application of paint on canvas.  The idea is to capture the mood of the subject and not necessarily the likeness of the subject itself.  At least, that is what I have learned in this exercise.  This week I touched up some details and color/tones, I applied a final varnish and decided that there was no point in adding anything else.  The painting and the "mood" is represented and it is complete as is.

Please let me know what you think. 

Lynn