A humble subject this week: I have started a food still life of two walnuts on a small Belle Arti wood panel (18x13cm). I’m not going to paint a ledge for them to sit on or a defined background, as I want people to focus on the beauty of the walnuts: all those creases and bumps and lumps. Strong light-dark contrasts will help focus too. I’m very much enjoying painting this very simple food still life.
As usual, at this stage I’m mapping out values and the composition in the underpainting (see picture). I usually use a value string of yellow ochre + mars black + titanium white, but this time I wanted to try a different mix: terre verte + mars black + titanium white. I’m using oils of my favourite brand, Old Holland. This greenish colour will give a better contrast with the brown glazes which will be painted on top. The picture doesn’t show this properly, but there is a green hint to this layer.
I’m leaving this layer to dry today. Tomorrow I’ll refine the details and then it’s on to the exciting glazing stage (although doing the underpainting is pretty exciting too. To me anyway).
This panel will be framed in a simple dark wooden frame. The plan is to include it in my upcoming exhibition at French restaurant RetroBistrot in Teddington.
The finished painting:
Categories: New paintings | Tags: culinary art, culinary painting, Dutch painting, food painting, oil painting, terre verte, underpainting, walnuts
