Paintings

Painting

This still life oil painting on canvas offers an interesting study in textures from translucent glass, to smooth stones, rough paper, glossy ceramics and shiny plastic. The painting's prepared from a set of unrelated objects including a jar, soft white cloth, wooden sticks, black glossy bowl containing a dried leaf, smooth gray bowl containing a seed pod, brown wrapping paper, rough stones, blue, red and green plastic legos.

The elements were semi-randomly arranged on a wooden table. Neutral colors provide a soothing tone and look good almost anywhere.

True still life usually appears more realistic than paintings from photographs. Paintings from photographs display warping from the lens. Sometimes the effect isn't noticed until you view works like Stones, Ceramic and Glass, created from life itself.

Process

Sketch the shapes in with light markings in charcoal.

Paint from background to foreground and general to specific. Block in the shapes, add some light and shadow. Work from there to gradually build details.

Funny little fact about this painting. I never technically painted the four straight sticks. While filling in the background, the brown paper and other general areas, random paint ended up within the outlines for the sticks. I just left the random, irregular, relatively desaturated colored paint on the sticks, with a little glaze for light and shadow.

Textures

Textures include very soft white cloth, ceramic, glass, smooth stones, rough stones, plastic toys, crumpled brown paper, an old dried leaf, wood, a seed pod, and slightly rougher dark cloth.