56 Artists llustrators
- Contrast colours
Using soft pastels, I applied darker shades of
my source colours. I squinted my eyes to help
me better find the tonal connections between
different coloured areas.
These areas will later become a mixture
of different colours bouncing off one another.
Already variations are developing. I’ve used
neutral, purplish greys in areas such as the
upper shelving to contrast with the natural
light – emphasising the yellow and purple
complementaries aids this. Likewise, the
earthy browns of the worktop and violins
contrast with the blue-greens elsewhere.
- Check your progress
As I worked, I kept checking the painting in
a mirror to look for anything that makes an
awkward or overpowering shape. I corrected
these mistakes by either deepening the tone
or the edge around the shape to help it sit
within its surroundings.
Indications of window bars went in next,
as well as marks to suggest light on the wall.
The edges of the blind were lost and I started
notionally suggesting tools, boxes and other
objects on the far workbench. I find when
you make a drawing or hatching mark, it is
worthwhile considering making a mark in a
countering direction so that it does not
become too much of a mannerism.- Lose yourself
The next stage is all about losing and finding edges. I like to bring a
little definition and line work into play at this stage, but at the same
time reducing some edges by softening them too.
I also continue developing colour, echoing the light from outside in
the blind to connect the inside and outside together. Vibrancy can be
created either by placing complementary colours together which have
the same tone or by contrasting similar colours with varying tones.- Restate the line work
Having lost a bit of definition by softening those edges, I feel the need to restate things
a little. I did this by making the drawing more accurate, checking perspective and creating
a suggestion of the hanging violins and other allied kit. Suggestion is the key word here.
These were not meant to be fully realised depictions of the objects; the odd line helped
to indicate the form of an instrument. As I added lines, I also checked the negative shapes
that surround each object for both accuracy and aesthetic value.