Basket of Apples

Basket of Apples

I dropped into a painting group a couple of days ago and there were multiple still lifes set up.   I should have worked on the still life that would have been more difficult for me.    It was a high key collection of objects in blues and oranges.  I elected to have more fun and do the big basked of apples; they were mac's afterall :).     I used a smooth clayboard substrate and a relatively small brush to rough in the drawing.   I used a paper towel to wipe out and fine tune the placement and size of the apples.   Although the spotlight on the setup was warm in tone, I like my cool lights these days, so I used my naples yellow for the lit portions of the basket and I used warm burnt sienna for the basket shadows.   I recently added some of Gamblin's Radiant Magenta to my palette (until I can get some more Permanent Rose).   The Radiant Magenta is nothing like Permanent Rose since it is lighter in value and opaque.   I mixed it with my Cad Red to apply the lit tops of the red apples.

As I look at the photo now, I realize that the red apple in shadow is too red.   I will pull some of the shadow color behind it to subdue it somewhat.   Let me know your comments!

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Boston Public Garden

Footbridge at Boston Public Garden

Two Swans Avisiting

Footbridge Boston Public Garden Stage One

Ten quarters in a meter on Charles Street got me two hours to enjoy a paint-out at the Boston Public Garden.  I walked with my painter's bin on wheels into this mini mecca in the middle of the city.   The huge old trees were beginning to change color, a spectacular scene for tree novices, let alone true horticulturalists, who are treated to a label with full botanical name.  The roses were still going strong and I thought about working on one.   I did not want to paint a postcard, but once I got close to the duck pond and footbridge, that iconic scene was irresistible.  I found myself setting up underneath the bridge to capture the "postcard" that typifies the Boston Public Garden.   I even had a visit from a pair of swans who took particular interest in me.   Maybe they presumed my art bin was large enough to contain lunch?

The wet paint in the photo is causing a bit of glare.  Check this one out on my website in a couple of weeks.

Boston Public Garden in Autumn