Wildflower Rhythms

This is the second image students in my workshop will be creating. I always hand out a step-by-step printout but also demonstrate the steps in the workshop.

Reference photo of wildflowers at Shaker Village, Harrodsburg, KY

This photograph is only marginally helpful. I created the original drawing on location at Shaker Village and I could see into the shadow area under the tree. Unfortunately the camera blocked up that area.

I started by rubbing medium brown Nupastel into the 400 grit Uart sanded paper which creates a warm underpainting and I mark a 1/3 grid pattern on the paper to help with compositional location of the elements of the design. I blocked in the basic 3-5 shapes which is all that is needed to get the composition started.

Start blocking in the basic shapes. I usually use an indigo blue to block in the shadow areas and orange to block in the sunny areas.

Next step is to add more of the actual basic color of the vegetation but still keeping to warm colors in the sunshine areas. Locate the direction of the sun to add light areas to the dark trees. Along the side of the image you'll see color dots of the colors I've used so far in this scene.

Final steps is to add more detail in the grasses and the lightest lights of the Queen Anne's Lace, which notice has light blue marks to denote shadow on the white flowers. 

This painting is an impressionistic rendition of wildflowers in a field. I've tried to display the feeling of the beautiful chaos of wildflowers.

Simple Pear

Sometimes just a simple piece of fruit can give you a great lesson in drawing, form, and color.
First sketch the shape with a conte pastel pencil. Look at the form. How tall is it compare to the width. Look at the shape of the sides of the pear. I bet they aren't symmetrical. Is it leaning to one side?
I started on 400 grit Uart paper and covered the paper with nupastel - medium brown and then rubbed in with a paper towel to color the paper. 
Pastel is always more vibrant on a colored background. A white paper tends to weaken the pastel color.

A simple pear. A bit taller than it is wide and learning to the right.

Sketch in the basic shape. Pay attention to the edges of the planes - the shape.

Solid up the shape and add the basic colors of a pear.

Block in cool colors in the shadow areas and warm color in the highlighted area. The basic color of the pear is yellow-orange. The opposite of yellow-orange on the color wheel is in the purple family which is what I put in the shadow area. Olive green as the transition color from shadow to light.

Final stages of the piece.
I added a light red to the blush part of the pear to indicate the upward slop of the plane. Olive on the upper part of the pear as it was not in direct light. More yellow and golds on the side of the pear closest to the light and finally add a warm highlight - pale yellow. Dark shadow behind the bottom of the pear to give it weight on the paper and some lighter/brighter color on the plane in front of the pear which informs the viewer even more that the source of light is hitting the right side of the pear.