Still Life - Fruits

Still life study is a means of understanding hues, tones and depth; a method of mastering different drawing and painting media; and a way of developing an artist’s skills. I have learnt how a medium behaves on a given support mainly doing still life study.

Study 1 – Bowl of fruits: I arranged different seasonal fruits in a bowl with an overhead light source. The study was executed on textured paper using poster colors in ‘gouache’ or opaque method. I had used white directly to show the light reflexion; as well as to lighten the colors when required.  The shadow under the bowl was captured in a dark tint and the background was left untouched.

Stydy 1 - Bowl of Fruits

Study 2 – Bowl of fruits with drapery: One of my very old paintings, was mainly an attempt to study the drapery. I chose seasonal fruits, including bananas, grapes, lemon and tomatoes (!), arranged them in a bowl and placed it against a dark drapery. Executed on plain paper with poster colors in ‘gouache’ technique, I have used white directly for highlights.

Study  2: Bowl of fruits with drapery

Study 3 – Fruits: One of my very early water color studies, this still life was done mainly to understand water color as a medium. White of the paper could be seen along the edges of forms – a common beginner’s mistake. Highlights were left untouched. Both ‘wet on dry’ and ‘wet on wet’ techniques were used depending on the need. Whatever may be the outcome of this work, watermelon continues to be a fascinating object for water color study.

Study 3 - Fruits

Study 4 – Fruit bowl with drapery: This was my first ever oil painting study executed with oil paint on paper. The fruit bowl was set against two contrasting draperies and I had used two thin layers of oil paint to complete the work. I am glad to find the painting still intact after more than a decade! 

Study 4: Fruit Bowl with drapery

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