| I think I remember what a pearl looks like. Ah, its been so long between pearls. I will try to construct one from memory, first principles and logic.
To begin, let us imagine the largest pearl in the world sits on a red table in a room with a blue ceiling. I am the viewer and I view the perl from the front while behind me is a window. Outside it is a fine bright sunny day.
Now if the perl was someone elses 'eye' this is what it would see.
Me, basic and a little crude?
The window in the same condition.
Together
Add a blue ceiling, some walls and a red table (this is roughly what the pearl would see if it could see). Next we squeeze it into a round shape (with a computer this is easy, in a painting you would work backward.) I am a little disappointed at this stage as it looks rather raw and nothing like a pearl. But, staring failure in the eye, we must proceed (forever faithful to our logic).
So lets us rid ourselves of the black edges. Then, since a pearl is not a perfect mirror, I will blur everything ...
Now we can and add a little milky screen (I remember pearls are a little milky, aren't they?)
Still too much saturated color and dark values - maybe another yellowish screen ...
OK let's cut it out and give it a hard edge ... as it is not made of fur (remember the previous lesson on edge texture) ...
That's looks better ... now for the suggested table and ceiling
Can't I have a string, seeing I made it myself?
Why, I'm virtually rich! So why can't a pauper have a millionaire's imagination? I expect any artist can always be rich beyond the dreams of mere mortals, the difficulty becomes one of keeping reality in plain view.
PS. I am concerned, you may think I am confusing computer graphics with oil painting. In either case we must learn the essence or nature of things before we can make them with paint - or computers. With the 'pearls,' as with the world, that is the starting point, and remember everything exists in relationship to light and other things. The rest is simple applied logic - either with a brush or computer. Some advanced lessons take up this point.
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