Step 13

I worked another hour or so on the gold mug. I still have to work out a few details but it's getting there. I have to work the next couple of days so I won't get as much done as I would like this weekend. I have other deadlines looming so I am going to have to spend more time daily to get this finished.

Step 12

I've started on the second mug. Still a long way to go but I hope to get lots done this weekend.

Step 11

I have finished the red mug and put the first very pale yellow wash on the next mug in line. It is very close in colour to the jug in real life so I have to decide what I am going to do to make it different. I might go with a more reddish gold colour to separate them. I see after getting the first mug done, that I will have to make the shadows on the table much darker once I am finished.

Step 10

I added more colour and darkened values on the red mug.

Step 9

I have started blocking in the colour in the first mug and started figuring out where the highlights are.

Step 8

I finally got back to my painting after working all weekend. I finished the jug and I am starting on the far left cup next. First I blocked in the shadows to get a feel for the negative spaces around the cups and for deciding on how dark to make the values.

Step 7

The shadows weren't getting as dark as I wanted so I started adding washes of green and blue on the one side. It's getting closer but still a couple of sessions to get it where I want it. I'll be glad when I can move on to the next mug.

Step 6

I darkened more of the values and added a yellow wash over the whole jug except for the white areas. The difference between steps is getting more subtle now. This is where I have to make some decisions about how closely to keep to the reference image and what I have to do to make it a good painting. This slows down things now.

Step 5

I will work on the jug until it is almost complete before moving on. It is a complicated mass of confusing colours and values that I am trying to sort out. My fun painting is turning out to be quite a challenge. The other problem is fighting with the hot press paper. It should be better for detail but buckles more when wet, causes uneven washes, and the paint doesn't act the same way on it. I should have gone with the cold press.

In this step I continued to work on areas of colour and value to try and show the subtle changes in shape. Once each wash is dry, I gently soften any hard edges and then go on to the next areas.

Step 4

I started working on picking out the shadowed areas with a darker colour. It will end up much darker but I had to block in the areas to know where they are before I get bolder. I also put a bluish wash over the background (ultramarine blue and indigo) to get closer to the finished colour and values.

Step 3

I did a second wash of the background the same colour as the first. Once it was dry, I went over all the background with a wash of burnt sienna using criss-cross strokes (it's hard to see here). This made the background interesting as well as adding warmth. I left the bottom edge of the background lighter because it will be the table fading into shadows.

Then I added a light yellow wash over the jug and then a second brighter yellow on some of the parts that will be turning into shadow. The highlights on this will be very bright (for now at least:)).

Step 2

I corrected the drawing of the jug and the outlines of the mugs. I'll correct the drawing of the details of each mug just before I paint each one. I will be partly painting from life for this one because the sculpture on the ceramic is very subtle in some cases.

In this next step I started the first wash over the dark background. Lots more washes will get a much darker effect there. The mugs really are leaning and lopsided in real life.

Drinking Buddies Step 1

It seems like forever since I've had a chance to paint. Now that the holidays are finished and the decorations put away, I can finally get back to the studio. My new year's resolution is to get out with my camera and take a lot more reference photos so I will never be without inspiration to get started on my next one.

I have started one that I call Drinking Buddies. I have been collecting these ceramic face mugs for a few years (they are hard to find) and they just looked so cheerful together I wanted to capture the group.

It is 18 x 13" (an odd size but I am painting to fit frames found at garage sales) and is being painted on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb paper. It buckles more than my usual 300 lb but I had a piece left over from another painting so I thought I would use it up.

I have drawn it out roughly and will correct it in the morning and photograph it under better light.