Thursday, September 24, 2009

Apple Time

Apples
colored pencil on Rising Museum Board
5.5 x 6.5 inches
©Ann Thompson Nemcosky
Click here to buy

This is my drawing in response to Jeanette Jobson's apple challenge. I really enjoyed doing this still life and may try doing more sometime soon. I worked a little differently in terms of how I used color to show the form of the apples and was pleased with the result.

With my background in painting I was taught to create neutrals with complements to get the color to recede. And with my colored pencil landscape drawings I will typically use complementary colors to create depth and liven shadows. I recently read in the July/August issue of Artist's Magazine an article about the artist Colin Berry and his technique for creating his luminous still life paintings. In the article he explained why he doesn't follow that rule and instead uses neutrals directly. I was intrigued by his explanation and gave it a try here with my apples. It's a way of working with color, particularly when doing a still life, that I definitely want to explore further.

29 comments:

Spinneretta said...

Well I think it was a hugely successful result :) Nice one Ann!
Now I need to go dig out that article and read it :)

Jennifer Lawson said...

Beautiful, Ann.

Jennifer Rose said...

o.0 this is amazing. The texture of the apple skins looks so real and the lighting is wonderful

Ramona said...

So beautiful you want to pick one up to sample it. They look real. You did a excellent job on the apples.

BARBARA WEEKS said...

So beautiful!

Unknown said...

Oh this is definitely fabulous! I wish I could click that buy button, but alas, I am unemployed at the moment! Beautiful!

nanke's stuff said...

Well, they certainly do look real enough to pick one up and have a bite. I'll have to go back to that issue and read what he has to say about using neutrals - I was taught the way you were using complements. This is a beautiful painting!

Connie said...

Those are incredible! Makes me want to go to the mountains NOW! I may have to make a trip soon. I bet the leaves are already beautiful.

Alex said...

Fantastic Ann! I understand why you're pleased with the result because you really brought out the texture of the apples, as if you could actually touch the wax of the skin! I blew up the picture many times just to see how you layered the colors and it's really fascinating. :)
These will surely keep the doctor away!

martinepittet said...

Superb drawing. You can almost smell and touch them !

Teresa said...

What BEAUTIFUL apples, Ann! Such rich color. You did a wonderful job on these. Thanks for sharing the info about the neutrals... shall have to look that up.

Carolina said...

They are stunning!

Robyn Sinclair said...

What a treat it was to find these gorgeous apples. Indeed they are stunning!

Lynn Alpert said...

Absolutely beautiful! Wonderful drawing.

matlowe said...

I've always wondered why not use what comes with the set. I know that they say you don't get the correct shading if we don't use the compliment, but, we all see it differently anyway, so I wondered how that could be?

I always question the stuff no one else worries about.

I love the apples.

Dan Kent said...

Magnificent! Certainly what you did to show the form worked. And I love the composition.

Unknown said...

These are beautiful, and I, too, have to find my copy and read that article.
I read your entry about people questioning homeschooling, and as a retired public school teacher, I have to say that if I could do it all over again, I would homeschool my three children. So, you keep doing what you feel is best for your child. Hooray for you!!

Ernest Friedman-Hill said...

Breathtaking work!

Jo Castillo said...

I came over from Jeanette's apple challenge. This is so wonderful. You have a great touch with the CP.

Kelly said...

wow.......just beautiful.....and stunning....and eye catching. I love it.

Anonymous said...

Breathtaking! Lovely observation of light and form...and the color in the shadows...exquisite!!!

Krista Meister said...

I love your new neutral technique! The apples are definitely mouth watering....

Anonymous said...

These are gorgeous! Wow. What kind of colored pencils do you use?

Ann said...

Wow. Thanks everyone for such encouraging comments!

Deb L. said...

Wow... this is a fabulous piece! Looks like a photograph! I tried doing some apples today but nowhere near as successful. Lovely work here - Deb

Anonymous said...

Your apples amaze, and pull me to cp and watercolor pencil even more strongly. You have shown me the possible...thank you!

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Oh WOW.
Absolutely amazing, Ann. As are the 'you might like drawings'.

WOW.

Ellen Burkett said...

I don't know how I missed this one but this i gorgeous! Just absolutely beautiful!!!

Anonymous said...

How beautiful!
I love your lost edges in the highlights. So well done!

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