Partridge and Pears
©2007 David Jansen, MDA
©2007 David Jansen, MDA
In the Traditions Teacher Program we talk about harmony of colors and the relationships of harmony to technique. With this painting I chose to add some harmony through a mix and also through the technique. I wanted the color very muted and I wanted them to give a rich deep tone that a man would like.
To do this, I mixed two of my favorite toners together: Raw Umber and Burnt Umber 1:1. Raw Umber is our toner of age and Burnt Umber is the toner of richness. My mixing the two together I achieve my goal of older, rich colors. By adding this toner to all the colors I used, I created a high degree of harmony which allowed me to break a few “color rules.” For example, the blue/grey on the partridge’s front area is not repeated anywhere in the design. This is a bad thing to do when establishing harmony. I could have tinted some on the bottom of the pears to carry the color, but by leaving this color on the partridge only it helps set him apart from the pears and creates a little contrast between him and the pears.
Once you understand the importance of toners in color mixing, artists can use these principles to create harmony while also adding some object separation in the design to create interest. Enjoy the painting!
Preparation:
The tine tray is a scalloped oval metal tray 17 inches by 13-1⁄2 inches. Start by sanding the tray with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth chips and give the surface some tooth. I prepped the tray with one coat of Multi-Surface Sealer which will provide excellent adhesion to the metal while bonding the colors to the surface.
When the sealer is dry, mix Multi-Surface Sealer with some Medium White + small touch of Pine Green, Raw Sienna and Raw Umber. Base the tray, dry and give a second coat. This will give the tray a very toned light green which we can now darken and add some interest to.
Give the tray a light even coat of Extender Medium. While this is wet, mix some Raw Umber, Burnt Umber and a touch of Pine Green. Add enough Extender to make this color transparent and wash over the bottom area of the tray and around the scalloped edge. See Step 1. Leave a light area where the partridge’s head will be. Leave streaks and mottled color for interest. Wipe your brush and dress in some Medium White + touch light and dark yellow from the palette and wash over the top area of the tray liner (angled edge). Let is do dark as it heads towards the bottom. Dry and transfer pattern with white graphite.
Palette - JansenArt Traditions:
Add a little toner to all colors.
Toner is Raw Umber + Burnt Umber
Light Yellow - Hansa + Yellow Oxide 1:1
Dark Yellow - Raw Sienna
Medium Green - Light Yellow + touch Phthalo Green Blue
Dark Green - Phthalo Green Blue
Medium Red - Naphthol Red Light
Dark Red - Red Violet
Medium Blue - Ultramarine Blue
Medium White
Titanium White
Carbon Black
Step 1 - Step Photo 2
Using a #3 or #4 round and the toner, brush sketch in the design using light pressure. Let some lines get very heavy. Concentrate on good clean lines for the partridge’s head and beak. This is a center of interest area. Keep other lines casual. Sketch in lines for the feathers. Try not to set up a pattern. Make each a little different.
Step 2 - Step Photo 3
Using a large 8 filbert wash in the objects the suggest objects color below. The partridge will have several colors washed in. When you wash in the partridge, make sure you leave some streaks. Use short choppy and streaky strokes. As we put more color on the partridge, he will smooth out so we want to make him have lots of interest now.
Orange - Medium Red + Light Yellow 1:1
Partridge Head - Orange
Breast - Medium Blue
Lower Breast - Medium White + touch Titanium White
Wing - Orange
Body Feathers - Medium Blue
Pears - Light Yellow + Dark Yellow
Leaves - Medium Green
Branch - Toner + touch Carbon Black
Step 3 - Step Photo 4With this step we will add some deep shadow to increase roundness on the pears. We need to develop some shadows for a vein line on the leaves and push the leaves under the pears. Add some additional darks under the partridge’s head and throughout the wing feathers. Add some additional short strokes to the breast area.
For the darks on the partridge and pears I used toner to toner + tiny touch Carbon Black. For the leaves I used toner + touch Dark Green. Darken the branch with toner + Carbon Black. When you have finished the darks, give the surface a light even coat of Extender Medium and deepen the dark background area near the bottom of the tray.
Add some orange feather bands throughout the body area. These are just below the wing. Tap some of this color into the breast area. Wash a little of the pear color (Light Yellow + Dark Yellow) into the breast area for some additional color interest. Tap a little light yellow around the eye ring of the partridge and tap a little Titanium White on the eye for a highlight.
Step 4 - Highlights and tints - Final photoBefore starting this step, dry the tray well and give two coats of Multi-Surface Sealer. This will separate the base and shadow colors from the highlights. This will also allow you to wipe off highlights if you get them too heavy.
With this step we will apply some highlights in at least two steps and some tints to the pears and leaves. Use multiple short strokes of light color to the partridge to lighten. To apply the highlights and tints to the pears and leaves, we will use a little Extender on the surface mixed with some of the original base color. Tap some light in the highlight area and swirl around. Do not blend too much. The partridge has lots of streaks in his feathers and if the pears are too smooth, they will not look correct next to the partridge. Keep the pears and leaves streaky so they have the same 'painterly' look as the partridge.
Give the pears a light coat of Extender. While wet, moisten the areas with Light Yellow + Dark Yellow. Tap a little dark yellow next to the shadow colors to help soften. Mix some light yellow with touch Titanium White and lighten the highlight area. Swirl your brush and don’t blend too much. Pick up more white and lighten in a smaller area. Add some orange tints to the bottom of the pears. Add a smaller light color made from Orange + touch Medium White.
Make lighter green from Medium Green + Light Yellow and Titanium White. Vary the amount of Light Yellow to vary the green colors you are making. Lighten the center leaves with more light green. Leave some streaks and strokes on the center leaves.Tap a little Dark Yellow and Light Yellow into the branch to make some highlight areas.
Partridge
Lighten the breast area with Medium Blue + small amount of Titanium White. Add some to the body feathers between the orange bands. Add some lighter yellow, Light Yellow + touch Dark Yellow and Titanium White to the wing feathers. Tap some of this color on the beak and cheek area. Stroke a little down the neck to lighten. Add a little more white and tap some small shines on the beak and eye ring.
Finishing
Darken the outside rim of the tray with Toner + touch Dark Green. When this is dry, make the orange color, tone with a touch more toner and wash on the beaded edged of the tray.
Give the tray two coats of JansenArt Satin Varnish to finish.
Pattern
Reduce or enlarge as needed.
