Plums in Bowl

In this lesson we once again are aware that we do not need to explain every detail to the viewer. In fact it is far more pleasing to leave somethings to the imagination. We paint just enough to entertain the viewer and at the same time create a contemporary design.

Barbara shows you how to draw the bowl symmetrically, using a clever measuring technique to make it easy. Barbara gives great advice about drawing and creating the design. Composition is very important. She hints at several small, yet vital design elements that make the painting more interesting. This painting has some lovely elements, including reflections of the glass on the granite counter.

What you will learn.

- Barbara shows you how to create the Crystal design, and depict shapes through the glass. Step by step instruction is given on how to make what appears to be a complicated design, actually more simple than it looks. Barbara explains which part of the painting should be distorted, and which ares should be more explanatory. Sometimes we suggest, sometimes we explain.
- Have all the colours ready, prepare the washes in the palette.
- One of the take home messages here, is how to paint beautiful “rich reds” without making them flat.
- Barbara wets and paints one plum at a time. It is also important to be able to see which plum is in front and which one is at the back. Shadows and light are the tools to achieve this aim.
- We always look for opportunities to leave some sparkles of white.
- On the plums, we use yellow, orange, red and deep red.
- As we paint the plums in the bowl we carefully and cleverly leave out quite a lot, we hint shapes through the glass. “Less is more”
- We let the water do the work, we want to have spontaneous flow, not a heavily laboured painting.
- Remember to be very conscious of leaving the white of the paper. Jealously guard your whites. We have passages of light and accents of dark.
- This is a great lesson of how to paint cut glass, which comes in the following step. Follow each explanatory step.
- We become aware of the importance of contrasting light next to dark in the appropriate places.
- Remember to keep the thickness of the glass on the edges, white.
- We reinforce the principle of painting from light to dark in watercolour. Barbara also has a secret which she imparts about how to avoid mud. We paint warm colours first and then go towards cool colours. This is because cool blues can make shadow colours.
- Most shapes are first wet then colour is dropped into the wet shape, and built up to stronger colours. Start light, becoming dark where required.
- The shapes of the reflections are an integral part of the design. The background has interesting shapes, beautiful shapes, and fading edges. Remember the HolyTrinity of edges is…. hard, soft and broken. Each one having a role to play. The hard edge describes an object, usually nearer the focal point. The soft edge is a lost edge that fades out, and the broken edge is beautifully interesting.
- Have fun!