I recently attended Robert Johnson's workshop. It is a great experience. His set ups are spectacular and while I set up my own, he made suggestions including substituting mini pears with the clementines you see in this photo. While I liked the pears (and they would have done just fine in the painting), I agree the oranges gave it a good saturation of color.
Robert made me thicken the paint on the sugar bowl. Despite thinking I had thick paint already, my original attempt to paint the bowl does not compare to what is on there now. I now need to add the blue design.
I try to leave his workshops with at least one completed painting. That did not happen this time. First it took me forever to set up this still life and to get the right light and shadow on the subject. Second, I was completely unprepared and had not purchased the right canvas sizes or linen, so my canvas was too big (why I couldn't finish it). Third, I forgot paint colors at home and didn't have medium. But I did bring my favorite props and at lunch Cheryl Cochran (who painted along side me) and I went to Wegmans for some flowers, fruit and eucalyptus, which I find perfect for almost any set up. Eucalyptus was especially important in this painting since carnations don't have a lot of leaves and I think the painting set up would have looked unbalanced without it.
I found the perfect combo of colors for the cool shadow side of the carnations (cobalt blue and permanent rose). I'm writing it down here because for some reason I can't remember to put in the perm rose. So, here again is another unfinished painting. I'll post my other unfinished painting from the workshop tomorrow.
This class was especially fun because several friends took the class too, including Trisha Adams, Tricia Ratliff, Cheryl (mentioned above) and Dana Thompson. I can't wait for the next one!
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