Still Life at AVA : Nasturtiums and Copper Jug.

Last week, at Avon Valley Artists, the theme was Still Life. As the previous week had involved food, I thought it would be ok to do some flowers. I say ok, as I often get a bit of teasing for my ability to sneak flowers into whatever the topic is!
I am really in love with my collection of copper kitchen ware and take every opportunity to include a piece in my paintings. If you looked a couple of weeks ago at the post you will remember my lovely skillet which I used with the gourds.

So this time the choice was one of the squat jugs, and a photo from the garden last year of some nasturtiums. The two things have lots of those rich golden colours in common and I did not think it would be too difficult to arrange the flowers in the jug from my imagination. The only thing to remember is that the flowers need to be seen to be supported by the rim of the jug, and not self supporting in the middle of the space.

I did a reasonably accurate drawing, and added in pencil in all the reflections I would need before leaving home. This meant that I could manipulate the light in the studio. At AVA, the sun comes very strongly through large windows, and can be blinding for some members, so the curtains often get drawn which leaves little excitement in metal reflections. To add a little more interest both in shape and size, I took a lemon with me to put into the composition.

Apologies for not taking a series of photos, but I rarely remember to take my camera to AVA and my phone seems only to produce mediocre photos.....even if I remember to get it out!

The painting was fairly straightforward and was done with my usual palette on Fabriano paper.

 

 

                                              ' Still Life with Nasturtiums and Copper Jug'