In The Studio: Repost “Sherbert Shapes”

This painting is a lot of fun to try design a shape that goes all of the way across the paper and figure out the best way to use the white paper to indicate the light and to create interesting open shapes.  I painted on dry paper and started on the top left and worked straight through without stopping to let the paper dry.  Use nice vibrant colors thinking warm and cool contrast not light and dark.  Vary your edges to give the shapes even more life and vibrancy.

I start the painting with really strong vibrant warm and cool greens and yellows, I worked these against orange and cobalt violet.  The yellows are hansa, new gamboge and the greens are thalo yellow green with cobalt blue and cerulean blue mixed in.  Let the colors merge on the paper you will have more success without muddying the mixes.

In the shadows I really tried to use some interesting mixes of various colors.  Cobalt violet, raw sienna, cobalt blue, new gamboge, and some cadmium orange.  Let the colors merge and mingle as much as your creative brain will allow.  Have fun in the shadows and keep thinking warm and cool.

Put in some accents and details but keep it to just a few, work back into some of the painted shapes while they are still damp to get a feel for working on damp paper.  Cut around the last building in the row using cool greens and rich warms pull the shadows in for the building letting the edges soften a little.Go around the painting improving some of the edges with texture and a damp brush.  Put in a few more dark accents and sit back and enjoy your painting.  Keep painting your improvement will be fabulous.