Desiree
04-05-2010, 12:39 PM
If you all remember Valri Ary (http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=603753)posted some great photos awhile back, one being a picture of her silverware in the dishwasher. I loved it, and decided to enlarge it for a horizontal frame I had. I kept adding silverware to get it long enough to fit, it ended up being too large and instead of cropping I had to reframe! Ahhhh. Here is my WIP of silverware, just accepted into its first pastel show! LOL everyone one was amazed by the subject matter in a room filled with landscapes and florals, it created quite a stir of interest, thanks again Valri and AWDE.
I did a outlined drawing of the silverware, using photoshops filters, find edges. I had started painting the piece for the WDE and then decided to make it bigger, I then flipped the drawing to create more silverware and then went in and added some fill in pieces until I had my drawing, this is the beginning of the process. The tricky part is catching all the lighting properly when adding to the original photo and drawing.Then trying to understanding the drawing, I had to refer to the photo continually to try and make heads or tails of the drawing. I then begin by transfering it to my paper, I use La Carte, a sanded paper very sensitive to moisture so you have to be very careful as you work.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-scan0253.jpg
When working on very detailed pieces I transfer only parts of the drawing, I start in the upper left hand side and start to lay down the drawing by tracing it onto my paper. Once I get a the outlines in on that left side I start to work on that side, it prevents me from smudging my work as I go. I usually work it until completed but then as the painting progresses I will go in and make final touches of highlights or darks to adjust. Here I have completed the first part of the painting and I have put in the next part, you can see my white outlines.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_002sml.jpg
I continue with this process, always reassessing the progress and my values. This ended up being a great value study although I used alot of colors too. Mostly violets, roses from holbien to create more of a silver color than greys. Here you can see that I am laying in my darks first, it allows me to blend in the darks without ruining my light basket. When I go to blend my basket I know I will have only one or two passes at it. I blend with my fingers, I don't like using tools, I did use a blender for some of the dark squares but not much.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_006sml.jpg
I continue to add color, left to right, I do not use any rulers to help keep the edges straight so its all about looking right. Although it has alot of detail its not perfectly straight etc. As you will notice here, I started with white, frosted glass plates and didn't like them. I then change them to green to continue that color in the painting. I thought it needed something, the color almost gave your eye somewhere to rest before continuing the silverware journey. LOL
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_010sml.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_012sml.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_014sml.jpg
I have added alot of pinks and blues to my white rack. White is never really white is it?! Are we sick of silverware yet? I thought you might like a closeup.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_016clsupsml.jpg
I use lots of different varieties of pastels, rembrants, unison, ludwig, and very sharp pastel pencils for the detail edges for that crisp look. These little squares were killing me, I often would go back over them to try and clean them up and crisp up the edges. I just tried to create the look of the silverware and seeing through the basket with color changes and edges that continued down through the openings in the basket.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_017sml.jpg
Here is the final painting, I am calling it "Who's turn is it?" I don't think any of us will look at silverware the same, I love painting the unexpected. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed painting it. I wanted to thank the moderators, Eye paint and Charlies mum for asking me to post this, I must apologize for taking so long, computer issues and photos all over the place created a challenge when I started to compile the images. Thanks again.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Silverwaresml.jpg
I did a outlined drawing of the silverware, using photoshops filters, find edges. I had started painting the piece for the WDE and then decided to make it bigger, I then flipped the drawing to create more silverware and then went in and added some fill in pieces until I had my drawing, this is the beginning of the process. The tricky part is catching all the lighting properly when adding to the original photo and drawing.Then trying to understanding the drawing, I had to refer to the photo continually to try and make heads or tails of the drawing. I then begin by transfering it to my paper, I use La Carte, a sanded paper very sensitive to moisture so you have to be very careful as you work.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-scan0253.jpg
When working on very detailed pieces I transfer only parts of the drawing, I start in the upper left hand side and start to lay down the drawing by tracing it onto my paper. Once I get a the outlines in on that left side I start to work on that side, it prevents me from smudging my work as I go. I usually work it until completed but then as the painting progresses I will go in and make final touches of highlights or darks to adjust. Here I have completed the first part of the painting and I have put in the next part, you can see my white outlines.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_002sml.jpg
I continue with this process, always reassessing the progress and my values. This ended up being a great value study although I used alot of colors too. Mostly violets, roses from holbien to create more of a silver color than greys. Here you can see that I am laying in my darks first, it allows me to blend in the darks without ruining my light basket. When I go to blend my basket I know I will have only one or two passes at it. I blend with my fingers, I don't like using tools, I did use a blender for some of the dark squares but not much.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_006sml.jpg
I continue to add color, left to right, I do not use any rulers to help keep the edges straight so its all about looking right. Although it has alot of detail its not perfectly straight etc. As you will notice here, I started with white, frosted glass plates and didn't like them. I then change them to green to continue that color in the painting. I thought it needed something, the color almost gave your eye somewhere to rest before continuing the silverware journey. LOL
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_010sml.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_012sml.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_014sml.jpg
I have added alot of pinks and blues to my white rack. White is never really white is it?! Are we sick of silverware yet? I thought you might like a closeup.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_016clsupsml.jpg
I use lots of different varieties of pastels, rembrants, unison, ludwig, and very sharp pastel pencils for the detail edges for that crisp look. These little squares were killing me, I often would go back over them to try and clean them up and crisp up the edges. I just tried to create the look of the silverware and seeing through the basket with color changes and edges that continued down through the openings in the basket.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Picture_017sml.jpg
Here is the final painting, I am calling it "Who's turn is it?" I don't think any of us will look at silverware the same, I love painting the unexpected. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed painting it. I wanted to thank the moderators, Eye paint and Charlies mum for asking me to post this, I must apologize for taking so long, computer issues and photos all over the place created a challenge when I started to compile the images. Thanks again.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Apr-2010/79734-Silverwaresml.jpg