Monday, October 20, 2008

Red Pear and Bananas

Oil on 5"x5" Ampersand Gessobord (two pictures, same painting)

I had a pleasant time painting this, and I think it might have been because I bought a couple of new brushes. I seemed to be able to put the paint just where I wanted it, instead of fighting to get it where I want it. Whenever I go to the art store I take the longest time, looking through all the brushes. I feel the hairs, and hold them pretending to paint with it against the shelf to see how the hairs bend... I want one that is soft, but still sturdy enough to use with oil paint. Sturdy, but not one that has hairs that are too stiff, and scratch at the paint. I get softer ones, and then they wind up too flimsy, or once the oil paint is in it, the fibers seem to all stick together in one mass that leaves marks in the paint... grrrrrr! I wound up buying a couple of small filberts from winsor and newton, called "eclipse". The fibers are soft and natural, and not flimsy. I forget, but I think they were labled as black sable. It doesn't say on the brush, and they weren't expensive. I was looking for a mongoose brush, but there weren't any in the store I was in. Maybe I'll have to look online for some. Anyway......

The fruit in this painting is sitting on a glass salad plate. I didn't think I'd be able to make the plate look right, but, it seems to look ok to me.

3 comments:

  1. Wow!,Debbie, this is outstanding! Maybe you have found THE brush! LOL
    Really, this is a beautifully painted piece. The bananas are SO realistic, but my favorite part is the plate! Just enough given, but it's all there.

    Brushes do make a huge difference, and most artists seem to always be looking for the right one. I have one set for canvas and another set for the board work. I use all natural hair brushes, but the main difference is that I like a stiffer brush on canvas and soft ones on board. You and I paint in a similar way, so I would think that rule would apply to you. I also like the eclipse series. There is a Monarch series that I like with canvas. I mostly use filberts and flats or brights. For fine detail a few small rounds. It is funny how many brushes we buy, and have a couple of favorites that we wear out over and over.

    Again, kudos to a great painting!

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  2. Marilyn, You're right, I think we do paint in a similar way. I have both soft brushes and bristles, and use them for different surfaces. and I have a can full of ones I don't even use, but I keep them anyway! haha.. and I'm always on the lookout for one I like better. Thanks for your compliments, and for mentioning the plate I painted. It looked ok to me, but I knew what I was painting from, and I wondered how it would look to someone else! Thanks!

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  3. I like the design of this piece, Debbie, and the salad plate is perfect.
    I appreciate the brush info from you and Marilyn.

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