Punchy Grapes

[Celeste McCall]

Dear All,

First Fire:
This year at Cazenovia school we are having 5 day classes so the subject matter can be much more challenging and the learning will be much more as we will have time to really LEARN and not just paint paint paint to get the project done on time.

I love to paint grapes just about as much as any subject and felt that a beautiful bowl would be just the thing to do in the 5 day class.

Every Cluster Will be painted in Red Grape (violet of iron-ish) monochrome on the first fire. Then, the student can wash over their favorite colors onto the grapes and leaves. I like this method best for painting grapes. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

Here is the first cluster on the INSIDE of this bowl.
(Thank goodness this isn't a heavy bowl and seems thinner than most that I have worked with)

[Tami Durbin]

Oh Celeste, your grapes are beautiful!!! WOW!!!
Thanks for sharing them with us ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Tami

[Mary Gosden]

Love it, Celeste! Great showing of all 3 values, already!!!! Love, Mary

[Celeste McCall]

Dear Tami,
You are sweet as a chocolate kiss candy!
Thanks so much for your post.


Dear Mary,
Thanks for being such a sweetie and posting too! This is the most fun and I've seen you do grapes this way too. It's fun for us because we can do our own thing......and that is what is the MOST fun for any artist I guess. At least that's my humble opinion anyhoo. Thanks again for the post ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

[Tami Durbin]

Dear Celeste,

I may be off, but do you think the color Red Grape could be made by using the colors Dark Brown (Jane Marcks) and American Beauty?
If it's another color combination could you please tell us?

Thank you very much,
Tami

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Celeste,

;D ;D ;D I gotta try these! Ilove that color too. I will have to check and see if I have this color. I have not done many grapes, so I must follow along and try it, for sure! Thanks so much for sharing this. Your grapes are the best!!!

Love, Priscilla

[Celeste McCall]

Dear Tami,
To make a great red grape, mix the following:

4 parts pompadour
2 parts black green
2 parts cobalt
2 parts smooth gold based color such as elderberry

Then adjust as needed. To go darker add the black green. If it's too red....add more blue. If it doesn't look like a good red grape color.....add more elderberry. If it gets too muddy...add the pompadour.

I hope that this helps. This will fire more pinky looking than shows. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

I really like Dallas China's Red Grape. ;d ;d ;d



Dear Priscilla,
I love grapes just about as much as anything to paint. They are soooo difficult and challenging to get them to become a 'unit' instead of a whole lotta little balls. The cluster is it's own 'entity' and the lights and darks should connect within the cluster.

To my mind, that is the most fun.....figuring out where the light would hit and bounce. We artists get to be the SUNSHINE on our grapes. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

Thanks for the post Priscilla!

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Hi Celeste,

Thanks for posting the mixture of colors if we don't have red grape.
I buy a lot of my colors from Dallas China. Darn, I just ordered from them, last week.
Well, I'll mix it like you said, if I don't have it. Yes, I think of that often when deciding where the sunshine will come from on paintings. ;D ;D ;D

Getting anxious to start those grapes.

Love, Priscilla

[Kaye Hurn]

Celeste .... love those grapes! Love the definite values showing and the shape of the bunch. .......... sigh ......... now I want to rush off and paint more grapes!

Thanks for the recipe for red grape. I have used black green as a first fire and then used washes, but not used red grape with washes. Looking forward to step 2 of your bowl.

What a good idea to have 5 days to paint .... 5 fires. So much more would be accomplished, as often at 3 day seminars we are left to do the last few fires ourselves and these last fires are so important to finish the piece. I have been disappointed at some of the pieces I have painted at 3 day seminars 'cos I have mucked it up at home doing the last fire.

Hey . . . I love those Hershy Kisses!

[Corliss]

Celeste -

How on earth do you figure out how to mix those colors? I am lost when it comes to color I have to admit. I keep trying to figure out the best way to tackle learning about color. Have any suggestions? Thanks for the recipe.

Love the grapes and makes me want to try them again. I have just the vase to do so.
I think that makes project number 13 - chuckle. You all keep me in overdrive for things I want to paint.

[skloda]

Celeste,
Your grapes are so beautiful. I personally find that painting a monochrome helps me see the shading and values easier. I so admire your work and appreciate the knowledge that you share.
Susan

[Tami Durbin]

Dear Celeste,

Thank you very much for the mixture for red grape.
I will have to remember to order that color from Dallas China
on my next order

PS. Those smiley that you recently added are cute

I don't know why but the smileys don't show up

Tami

[Celeste McCall]

Ok, this is all of this project that I can show. I will have a 'border' which connects the three sections on both the inside and the outside but have to keep that secret for the class. ;d ;d ;d

The outside of the bowl will also have grapes on it but will all work together with a LBG rim to finish it all off. I sure hope this bowl fires good as I will fire it very hot and bring it up slowly to prevent cracking. ;d ;d ;d ;d


Dear Priscilla,
Would love to see everyone get some grapes started. Thanks for the post. Another Hersey's kiss for you! ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

Dear Kaye,
Thanks for your sweet post! I hope that all of you will be able to do some grapes this way. It's downright fun but as you know...also challenging...which is why we love to paint grapes. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

Dear Corliss,
Great to hear from you again. You'll do some great grapes. Hope that you'll show them. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d Also, about color mixing.

You can mix ANY color by as taught by Carlos Spina years ago. Also, the magnificent artist from Canada uses only twelve colors (if I remember correctly)....NINA SMITH.....and she teaches how to mix any color in the world that you want with those 12 colors. I wonder if she has a book on that.

Also, Arnold Lowrey taught us a lot of mixing colors and he also uses a limited palette.

However, I've always been able to 'see' the colors and mix them since I first began painting centuries ago ( ). Someday we need to make a chart of which colors can be mixed to make what colors. ;d ;d ;d ;d


Dear Susan,
Great to hear from you. Tell Janet HAY. Get her on here and start showing both of your paintings as you both are such lovely artists.

I agree that the monochrome is the way to go for value contrasts. If anyone has trouble with value contrasts...then they should use color contrasts (colors opposite on the color wheel) as they can be the same values (identical values) and still look different and stimulate the eye and make a gorgeous painting. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d So, that's the fix for paintings without value contrasts (light against dark - am writing this for those who might not know what a 'value contrast is'...I know that you know what they are Susan....but just adding this for those who read these posts). ;d ;d ;d ;d

You are so sweet to write in. [[[[[[[[[[HUGS]]]]]]]]]] to you for doing so. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

[Celeste McCall]

Dear Tami,
We cross posted. ;d ;d ;d ;d

Thanks for the sweet remarks and I hope that it will help with the colors. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

Also, there was one space after the first image bracket is the reason that it didn't work. (the smilie didn't work in other words). So, I fixed it for you. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

[Tami Durbin]

Ohhhhhh .....I wish I was going to be in your grape class!!!
They are more beautiful than words can say!!!!!!

Tami

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Dear Celeste,

Hopefully, I can get a start on my grapes. Your second painting is gorgeous already! Good luck with your class....know it will be great! I'm with Tami, wish I could be there too! Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful grape lesson.

hugs, Priscilla

[MaryLou]

Celeste, these grapes are awesome. Wish I could be in that class. On my computer the color looks gray but the words say red grape. Your suggestions for mixing a color to use was interesting and I plan to try that.

5 days with you and that grape study would be a little slice of heaven. These are beautiful. Thanks for sharing! Love Mary Lou

[Cherryl Meggs]

Me too I would like to do grapes with you!
Thanks for sharing it here can't wait to see it at Caz.
What lucky students you have. You are the grape queen!Love cherryl

[Claus Sundqvist]

Now there are four. I would also like to do grapes with you. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Soon you have a class full. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
It's very interesting how you mix the colour. I have to try it.
I googled to find out what colour is Elderberry, but there was several different alternatives.
Kinda Ruby, kinda dark blue (like black grape) and light violet.
What would be the right colour?

Claus

[Celeste McCall]

Dear All,
Add 3-4 parts of the Gold Based color to the mixture instead of the 2 parts if you want a more reddish look too. (Any smooth gold based color can be used to make this mixture). Like Cherryl said, the rosy Violet of Iron color is also a great color to use. I like this grayer colored pinkish a lot and will be a good undercolor for the grapes. However, any color can be used to do this technique I would think. It gives the overall design unity.

I have to go to Amarillo today....will be back later and try to get a photo of the mixed color and the gold based color by itself so that you can use something similar if you want to try this in this style.

Also, will respond to everyone's posts....y'all are so sweet! ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

[Amy Enright Medina]

Hi Celeste,
I tried to PM you but couldn't get it to go thru! I'm having bad luck! Something weird is going on! The "reply" link is missing in the "General Chattin" forum. I thought I was going crazy! It is in all the other threads and forums except the general chat. I tried logging out and logging back in, and rebooting my computer and it is still like that! My "reply" link went AWOL!
I asked Tami, she said to ask you. If you want to log in as me to see, I can give you my log in info, if you don't already have it.
I hope you can figure it out, I'm sad I can't chat! So strange!
Thanks so much! Amy

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Celeste,

I have started my grape painting, not sure if it is any good. I mixed the red grape, per your instructions. The color seems ok.
I chose this jar, but not quite sure what to do with the lid and the rest of it. I have 2 pics. The first one is the front and the back not pictured is similar. The second pic shows the front and a side view. I have painted both sides similar also. Any help is appreciated! I have not fired it yet. Still trying to decide what to paint on the lid.

Thanks bunches! Priscilla

[Celeste McCall]

Wow, oh WOW....this is really going to be pretty! ;d ;d ;d ;d Love it already Priscilla. Boy howdy you sure do have a lovely way to paint. Even the little tendrils are cute. I'm a big fan of yours. ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d ;d

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Celeste,

Thanks so much. These were fun to paint. I can't wait to finish it and do the first fire. When this fire is done, I will set it aside until our next lesson and try something else in monochrome, while waiting. I love this color! Thank you again for the inspiration getting me to do something new!

hugs, Priscilla

[Jole Nash]

Hi Priscilla The container is looking good...leaves are lovely.. and your grapes are fine ...so round ....Oh Boy.. How do you do that... I love doing grapes but I do find them difficult to paint.... Jole

[Celeste McCall]

Hi Priscilla,
After studying your leaves and tendrils and such...I think that your scrolling abilities have increased the appeal of these. Even the pointing down leaf has a wonderful scrolling type edge. I'll have to remember that when painting leaves and I really like the look of it. LOVELY! ;d ;d ;d ;d

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Jole,

After I painted the red grape color for the grapes, using my #4 quill square shader, (2) wiped out the shape of the grapes with my wipe out tool, (3) I took a regular Q-tip/cotton swab and wiped out a little, trying to make a oval/round shapes for the grapes, (pressing lightly. :)I'm sure others will have a better way of doing this. I have not painted many grapes and tried different methods on a tile before beginning my painting on the jar. This worked for me. ;D ;D ;D

Priscilla

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Celeste,

You are probably right on that one. ;D It is my decorative painting leaves coming out there. ;D ;D ;D

Priscilla

[Cynthia A Pinnell]

Celeste, love the grapes and the monochrome color. Your students are so fortunate to have you as their teacher. New York is quite a way from Plainview, maybe we can paint these in Amarillo one day!!
Priscilla, your grapes are wonderful. That container is one that makes for 4 designs!!

[Priscilla Cipolletti]

Cynthia,

I figured that with four sides, it would give me good pratice painting the grapes. ;D Trying to connect them around the jar. Thank you!

Priscilla