Persimmon, Pear, Fig, and Raspberry

12 x 16, oil on panel.  Finished last week.

2 Peaches, 12 x 16, oil on canvas

This is the same set up I painted a few days ago but this time I wanted to use more color.  There were so many nice purples, pinks, oranges etc. in these peaches.  I found it exciting and challenging to try to capture the colors as they went from the light into shadow.  I got lost in it.

Mango and 2nd Attempt at Painting with the Zorn Palette

Here is a better photo of the mango after I did a few touch ups this morning.

I tried one more time to paint a still life using the Zorn palette.  I gave up on this painting several times today.  I seriously contemplated scraping it off so I could start from scratch with more colors.   It kind of grew on me towards the end though.  It has a harmonious feeling I think.

Zorn Palette

     I will start talking to my class this week about color and decided to put together some color charts using the Zorn Palette to show them how to mix colors and paint with a limited palette. In the Zorn palette all colors are made from cadmium red medium, yellow ochre, ivory black, and white.  I have never used these particular colors together exclusively and was curious about trying it myself and painting a sample to see what it's like and to show them some possibilities. I painted this mango, the problem is that I grew frustrated with the greens so I gave in to temptation and got out some yellow (Scheveningen yellow medium to be exact).  It's an interesting yellow because it's a bit transparent so you can add it to darker colors without making them as light as you would with cadmium yellow. 

...Anyway  I will try again tomorrow to be good and stick with the limited palette.  The ivory black mixed with white sure does look blue in this photo!

Two Pears, Fig, and Persimmon and classes at the Lansing Community Center

     I finished this last week.  It's 12 x 16. I started out by making the forms more open but ended up closing them again.  I'm more comfortable with very distinct shapes I suppose. 

     This week I'm starting a six week introduction to oil painting class at the Lansing Community Center.  It's Wednesdays from 11-2.  For more info contact me or the Lansing Recreation Department.

Pears, Figs, and Raspberries

     So this is what I came up with from the set up in the last post.  I was working pretty quickly so I had time to do a smaller painting with some of the same fruit. The painting at the top is 12 x 16 inches and the bottom is 8 x 8.  Both are oil on canvas.