Friday 23 April 2010

Vegetable Study, SBA Assignment 8, Savoy Cabbage

An unfinished savoy
Assignment 8 Vegetable or Fungi Study
The Savoy cabbage. This time I really regretted starting such a large and complex subject - it completely filled the paper! I find this paper size so restrictive! I like to have lots of white space so working so small means that if you want white space then you could only work on small subjects. I'd spent so much time on this and I felt I had to continue....I passed the point of no return. I didn't manage to finish it but that was OK as long as two leaves were finished and all the preliminary washes were in place. Perhaps I'll go back to it one day.....but not just yet. I couldn't find any vegetables that hadn't been decapitated ( no leaves) for this study so the choices were a bit limited, so I decided to grow some of my own veg for future studies.
Fungi is no longer allowed in future courses as DNA evidence has finally confirmed that fungi has no place in the plant world. And a lot of what is sold as vegetable is actually fruit, so it's a bit limited.

I was cheating again here because I've painted a Savoy Cabbage before! Yes playing safe again. Actually I think all subjects should be painted more than once, it's the only way to really get to grips with them.

My tutor was Billy Showell, she congratulated me on taking on such a large task! She must think I'm crazy! The criticism was on the tone and colour section. She felt some of the highlights could be toned down in the shaded areas to give more emphasis to the lighter parts. Totally agree with that looking at it now. I got so wrapped up painting all those little 'bubbles' that I lost track of the overall light and shade. It was a very dark variety, with a lot of blue in the green. I was happy with the leaf ribs and veins. it was a good mark so happy enough. Billy said she'd like to see it finished....hmmm maybe one day!  

2 comments:

  1. Your work is quite awesome. Disallowing fungi seems to me a bit silly - I am well aware that fungi aren't actually plants, but their illustration has traditionally been the domain of botanical artists, and I think it should remain so.

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  2. Wow--the detail on the cabbage leaves is fantastic! Thanks for posting your work for the course. I am just starting it--I just sent in Assignment One.

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