Modern still life fruit painting

Modern still life fruit painting

The materials for this lesson can be found at a Gold or above Art Centre. Go to to find your nearest stockist. CSST4050 Mont Marte Single Thick Canvas MAMD0001 Mont Marte Acrylic Medium Gloss135ml MCG0022 Mont Marte Signiture tear off paper palette BMHS0009 Mont Marte Gallery Series Brush Set BMHS0016 Mont Marte Gallery Series Brush Set MSCH2436 Mont Marte Acrylic Colour Paint Set 24pce Also Required: Water, paper towels

It is a good idea to have a sample canvas to test any mixes on or to test paint translucence. 1. Drawing up the scene Refer to the outline image on page 9 and transfer it onto a 40x50 cm canvas with a HB pencil. You can draw it up directly or you can transfer it using the grid system. This involves drawing up a grid over the outline image, then upsizing the grids onto a canvas and transfer the linework. Another method is that you can print out the outline image to A3 sizing, shade the back of the sheet with a pencil, flip it over and place the shaded side onto a 30x40 cm canvas. You can then transfer the linework by retracing the outline with a sharp pencil. Whatever method you use don’t add the paint until you are happy with the drawing. 1

3 1 2 5 2 If you would like to try this project it is very important to watch the accompanying video to familerise yourself with the steps as it is very hard to clarify some of them with words. 2. Tinting the canvas Squeeze out some Titanium White and paint a thin layer over the entire surface of the canvas. Add a touch of Yellow Ochre to some Titanium White and paint this over the plate. Next add a touch of Phthalo Blue into some Titanium White and paint this over the cup and saucer. Add a touch of Burnt Umber into some Titanium White and paint it in to the centre of the large plate. Paint the inside of the teacup and the side in shadow with the umber mix also. Make sure that any linework is still visable beneath this coat. 2

3. Painting the background Squeeze out some Titanium White ,Phthalo Blue, Brilliant Red and Lamp Black onto the palette. Begin at the top right corner and create a very light blue mix and work diagonally across the canvas cutting in around all of the elements. Add more colour to the mix to darken it as you go. Once you get to the middle of the canvas blend in a mushroom pink colour created from Brilliant Red, Titanium White and a touch of of Lamp Black. Blend it into to the blue and continue across the canvas with this colour. The tone should be at its darkest in the lower right corner of the canvas. 3

3 1 2 5 4. Painting the fruit There are 4 types of citrus in this painting; Oranges, Grapefruit, Lemons and Limes. Although obviously different they can be painted using the same steps but with different colous specific to each fruit. These steps are below: 1) Paint the skin colour 2) Paint flesh 3) paint pith colour The colours used for each fruit and colour mixes are below. Orange: Peel; Brilliant Red, Orange Flesh; Orange, Yellow Deep Pith; Orange, Titanium White Ruby Grape Fruit: Peel; Lemon Yellow Flesh; Magenta, Crimson, Titanium White pith; Lemon Yellow, Titanium White Lemon: Peel; Lemon Yellow Flesh; Lemon Yellow , Medium Yellow Pith; Lemon Yellow , Titanium White Lime: Peel; Sap Green, Phthalo Flesh; Monasteral Green, Titanium White Pith; Sap Green, Titanium White 4

3 1 5 3 1 2 5 5. Painting the crockery Paint the tag for the tea bag Brilliant Red . Add some white into the red and paint in a square onto the cup so that it looks like a reflection on the cup. Paint the tea bag in with Burnt Umber mixed with a touch of Lamp Black. Squeeze out some Yellow Ochre and the same amount of Acrylic Gloss Medium and paint this mix over the teabag in the cup. Squeeze out some Phthalo Blue and a tiny touch of Magenta and add some Acrylic Gloss Medium. Use a Rigger brush and lay in the line work around the cup and saucer. Create a mix with Phthalo Blue and Gloss Medium and paint the design on the plate. 5

5 3 1 5 3 1 2 5 6. Adding the shadows Create a cool grey mix from Titanium White, Lamp Black and Phthalo Blue. Paint this into all the appropiate areas where shadow is cast from each piece of fruit. Make sure you keep the light source in mind as this will have a bearing on where the shadows will lie. Next add some of this colour to some Acrylic Gloss Medium to create a very traslucent mix. The ratio should be about 10% paint to 90% Gloss Medium. Use this mix on the shadows on the plate. 6