Colorful Washes

Last Tuesday in my intermediate painting class we started a larger piece from a live set up using oranges and grapes. This is an example of what the under paintings look like after washing in the transparent color. We are using pure color and a non-toxic varnish for this effect. 

This is another technique that will help us stay in the abstract stage longer in the hopes that we will not over-work the piece. I find it very challenging and also very exciting. 

Of course we all sketched our notans to establish the dark and light patterns and shapes before we began. We will need to rely on this plan of action to keep control of the values. Very important. 

This set up is mostly medium values so we designed our sketches with dominant use of medium values. A successful painting will have a dominant value, whether it is dark, medium or light. A secondary value is also important as well and a small portion of the third value. 

Next week we will come back and finish our works using more opaque paint with the goal of allowing some of the beautiful transparent wash to show through. Another goal is to use texture - impasto - while allowing the thinner washed in areas to be visible.
I'll post the results after Tuesdays class...