Cup Saucer Two Spoons in Gray

I taught a class on Bainbridge Island this summer and this was one of the demos.  This was done in a limited palette of white, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and black.  The burnt sienna gives warm tones, the ultramarine gives cool tones, and together they make the most delicious grays. 

Vinegar, Fork, Spoon on Gray

Shiny things are fun to paint - all those reflective surfaces!  The red label adds a strong color note and contrasts nicely with all the neutral gray. 

Gold Topped Vinegar Bottle

This bottle keeps showing up in my still life paintings.  I like the shape and size and really enjoy the color in the cap and label. Plus it's shiny, and paired with a shiny fork and spoon the painting sparkles.

Apple Fork Spoon

I've been painting, but I haven't been photographing my paintings lately, hence no blog posts.
I really like the shine of the fork and spoon and it was fun to play with the composition.  The 6" x 6" format is great for forcing you to simplify and strengthen the value pattern.

Fork Spoon Vinegar

Although I usually paint on a white canvas, this time I toned the canvas with a red-orange tone and red has found its way into all the gray mixtures creating a lovely harmony. Titanium white added to other pigments actually cools the mixture so the gray is warm from the red-orange and cool from the black and white pigments that were mixed together.   I was also having fun trying to get sparkle and shine from the metal silverware and the glass vinegar bottle.