Formal Training Continued.....

Haven't had much time to post here - adding two weekly classes to a full-time job has me pretty busy. This was a very interesting class, though, on color studies.  

Tom Semmes (instructor) set up the still life and had us paint just flat shapes of color (sorry, but forgot to take the photo before beginning modification of the wall shadow).

Second pass was to begin to modify each shape with different values, hues, and temperature. I understand now why so many say to "paint from life". There are SO many more color variations in live setups than in photographs.  Here is after second pass:

The photo cannot actually show all the colors in this as cameras average out tones. The light side of the "white" ball has yellows, pinks and reflected orange, for instance.  

Painting - when you are learning - is like trying to juggle cats and chew gum and walk backwards. You have to really look and think, is this piece darker or lighter? warmer or cooler? what is its shape?  Then you get into, not which colors, but which pigments (and they differ from brand of paint to brand of paint) mix well (or not) to get to the color you need.  Fun and exhausting.

A very valuable class for me.