As recommended for this exercise, I decided to use peppers, as the outside and inside of a pepper are quite contrasting and can show different techniques and effects of a paintbrush. With the choice of peppers, the colours I used were red and green, and as well as using complementary colours, I also wanted to put them on the grey kitchen worktop and the black cutting board in order for the colours to stand out against a monochrome background.
With the arrangement, I wanted to create a sense that they were just there, as if they’d just been sliced and left on the kitchen work top, and so I tried a couple of arrangements were their positions looked spontaneous.
After choosing my favourite arrangements, I made watercolour studies of the peppers and also a small acrylic study, and then went onto producing the actual painting. Like I previously said, there are many effects that you can make with a paint brush, and in particular my favourite must’ve been the insides of the peppers created by the dabbing of a fan brush, as well as the smooth finish of the outside skin.
With the final painting, which was completed with acrylic, I am pleasantly surprised at how it turned out, as this was the first that I painted a natural object other than an apple. To be frank, I found it difficult fathoming a technique out at first, but gradually learnt in particular how to paint the impression of seeds as the fact that you can paint over dry acrylic was a God send.
This exercise has helped greatly with my observation skills, and being able to paint what is there, as well as finding different effects to create texture and surface in a subject. For myself, this course covers many aspects that I haven’t ever tried, but I find that even if one doesn’t like a particular area of subject, skills can be learned and remembered.
SOPHIE FAWCETT'S OCA LEARNING LOG 