Still Life 2

1.Still Life with Corks  ( Watercolours and White Paint )

Plastic bags and kitchen foil seemed unlikely subjects for a painting, not to mention the problems involved in depicting them in paint. However, I decided to have a go. A straight forward layout  and a wash background  providing  warm reflections seemed to be the answer, but something else was needed for a satisfactory composition. A scattering of corks, much the same tone as the background wash, and a little shading produced the final image.

2.Chinese Bronzes   ( Acrylics)

During our six years in Hong Kong we were fortunate enough to be able to collect some intesting Chinese objects. The ones depicted are copies of items used in temple rituals. The bronze owls are containers - the heads are hinged - and the three-legged goblets probably held wine. The Buddha, pointing to the earth, is similar to those in The Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Sha Tin village. The light shining on the two vases virtually silhouettes the Buddha and effectively brings him forward as the main object in the composition.

             3.Still Life with Heron  ( Acrylics )

This, and the three following pictures were painted during evening sessions at Derby Sketching Club. During these sessions objects are placed on tables in no particular order, a composition is then devised on the paper or canvas. My technique is to work rapidly, avoiding unessential detail, touching up the paintings later at home. Acrylics are ideal for this type of painting as they dry rapidly and can be overpainted easily.

                 4.Still Life with Two China Birds  ( Acrylics ) 

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             5. The Mask ( Acrylics  and fine drawing pen )

Primary red attracts the eye and creates a focal point in a composition. To avoid this it is necessary to place that colour in several, balanced, places on the canvas. In this still life, yellows and greens are also balanced across the picture.

             6. Fruit and Flowers ( Acrylics )

 7. Glass objects on a Shelf ( Watercolours and Felt Pen )

Some stores have wonderful displays of glass objects. I drew half a dozen from memory in pencil - a few of the lines are still visible - washed them over with watercolours, fully outlined each objest, put in a minimum of shading and stood them on a shelf.