I bought a new water-colour: aureolin yellow. The lady who works in the art shop is a watercolour painter, and told me it adds a lovely golden glaze. So I had to try it, but what to paint? When in doubt, paint pears, and I have 2 of these wonderful russet coloured Beurre Bosc lying about. I always buy these, and always seem to end up composting them, as they are too beautiful to use up. Cheaper than flowers, anyway!What started to fascinate me were the shadows cast on the white surface by the pear under the main influence of 2 light bulbs in the kitchen ceiling. One of the bulbs, on the right, throws a cooler bluer light than that on the left, which is very warm and yellowish. Where the pear blocks the warm light, its shadow throws up only the cooler light shining from that side, and vice versa. So you have a distinct blue shadow one side, and yellowish one on the other. A third light bulb a little further away at the back is also cool, and adds another faint shadow, warmish as the yellow bulb's light reaches it.
There is also a slight effect on the surface of the pear... a little greener and cooler on one side than the other.
I really over emphasised the blue shadow, and was a bit disappointed, until I saw the pear with just the yellow light on, and daylight (blue sky today) illuminating the right side. My colours were exactly right!!
And I just remembered to wash the aureolin yellow over at the end.
Fun to tackle such a simple subject, as it gives a chance to analyse some of the thing going on.
What do you think ... too much science??
XX
5 comments:
What an absolutely gorgeous pear, beautifully painted... as I was reading your shadow 'analysis' I did think, Yep, this is Science Sister talking... but it is fascinating and I've always thought artists had to be pretty good scientists too. One can go quite cross-eyed trying to work out all the subtleties in shadows - and I too often get impatient and just put down what I think is pretty close. So thanks for this careful observation - will remember it next time I look at shadows. (I think you should frame it, notes and all)
I was pleased that the "pop up bigger" feature worked on this little painting, as I enjoyed seeing the close up of paint, colour AND indeed, those interesting shadows! I remember your pears in a row painting (or drawing?) and a few minor verbal spats amongst your young 'uns about who was going to HAVE IT one day...! Those Bosc pears are so inviting to an artist (and scientist!) and look so classical - from another world - the First Garden perhaps?! What does Beurre mean - butter? burnt? or is it a place?
Thanks sisters.I think it might be butter ... I should look it up! Ja, usually there is just too much to think about. Our portraits teacher Drewfus was great at pointing out the blue reflection from the sky, the upward reflection from the t-shirt, the angle of the main light source.Knotty brow stuff! XX
hi vivienne
nice to see you doing some watercolouring
aureolin is a very beautiful paint indeed. one of the 'transparent four' (artists quality viridian,cobalt blue, permament rose & aureolin) which are very pale light & hughly transparent colours, which will always show up the underdrawing beautifully
only draw back is that it isn't colour fast & will fade in sunlight & thus should not be used by artists who sell their paintings. try winsor yellow if this is a problem (disappearing artwork... fading away in front of your eyes)
paint on
best
adam
Hello Adam... I just saw your comment.. posted yesterday....thank you.. I have just put up another sketch from France. I don't know how to link to your projects page. I wonder if aureolin is fleeting in oils as well? I read somewhere that Van Gogh's "white roses" were once red.
Best wishes.. V
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