I often enjoy setting challenges for myself so this painting was an exercise in complimentary colors, orange and blue. I scavenge resale shops like the Good Will and St. Vincent de Paul for objects d’arts. I have a large cabinet in the back of my studio of all this accumulated detritus and went “shopping” for some objects for this still life. I chose a chalk horse which I found in the attic of our house when we bought it and the white vase from the Good Will. Since it’s winter, the sunflowers are fake, of course, but the oranges are real. As you can see, I tried several set ups before I was happy, and please note, you do NOT have to include every detail! How boring! I always do a sketch just to get a feel for the composition.
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- Detail, notice how the orange is carried into the shadow area
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- Initial still life with chalk horse, white vase, sunflowers and oranges
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- First step, sketch to lay out composition
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- First painting, sketch in objects, on blue-toned canvas
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- Next step, start laying in initial colors
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- Step 5, have most of the canvas painted, now for the details
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- Step six, deepening shadows, emphasizing key elements
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- Chalk Horse, final, oil on canvas, 16×20
I'm a professional artist, retired director of a performing arts center, bona fide book addict, and enjoy the quiet life...most of the time. I'd love to hear from you or get your ideas for future posts. Come back soon!
my90acres 
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