Pastel Class Project - Still a Project!

As I unpacked my still life objects yesterday, I was greeted with a sprouting onion. I guess it liked the dark box of plastic peanuts in which it was being stored inbetween classes.

So I had to break off the sprouting parts and paint it yesterday. My plan was to finish the vase, but the onion had other plans! Now I will have to find one of the same color so I can substitute it in the set-up and see how the orange light from it will "inform" the other objects in the painting.

Next class I will still have to finish the pattern of the vase and fix the symmetry of the two sides. I haven't done anything with the blue cobalt perfume bottle as yet.

What I'm finding is I'm solving problems with this painting. I am able to paint at home now using the information I have been gathering and practicing.

Pears on Sateen
Here is another piece I am working on at home. It's 12" x 18" which is really large for me. All my colored pencil pieces are quite small in comparison. It's a simple composition. As you can see there are only two pears, not the traditional three.

I did feel that the turquoise sateen is really the third element or object and therefore provides some balance for the "two" pears. I'm still experimenting with my "stroke-y" texture, and am starting to feel some ease and joy in painting this way. As Deb says, "Follow this path and see where it takes you."

I will take some close-ups of the strokes when I finish this.