Step-by-step painting guide
A step-by-step painting guide by Richard Robinson
From the online lesson Oranges · Download the printable PDF
In this chapter, we dive into the vibrant world of still life painting with a focus on the humble yet striking orange. We've moved on from the pear and grapes, though you're welcome to include them if you wish. The white vessel remains, offering another opportunity to master those subtle greys that challenged us in the last workshop. This time, I've added leaves, stems, and a white tablecloth to enrich the composition and elevate the complexity of the scene. You'll learn to capture the luminous quality of the cut oranges, with the light source strategically placed above and slightly behind them. This positioning creates a stunning stained glass effect as light passes through the orange flesh, resulting in a powerful, high-chroma color. This lesson is designed to refine your skills, offering a rewarding challenge that enhances your understanding of light, color, and composition in still life painting. Let's embrace the beauty of these oranges and explore the depth they bring to our canvas.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
See the full lesson
Observe the edge of the orange where light reflects off the sugar pot. Apply a subtle highlight to this area to help the orange appear more rounded and dimensional.
Notice the slight shadow on the inside edge of the orange. Deepen this shadow to enhance the juicy appearance of the fruit.
In this lesson, you embarked on a vibrant journey to capture the essence of oranges in a still life painting. By positioning your light source strategically, you created a stained glass effect, allowing the rich, high-chroma colors of the oranges to shine through. You learned to use the white tablecloth to reflect light, creating dynamic interactions that enhance the luminosity and energy of your composition.
As you progressed, you explored color progression and unity by introducing a red nectarine, transitioning smoothly from red to orange to yellow. You mastered the art of setting limits with drawing and color, ensuring balance and accuracy in your composition. The interplay of dark leaves and a contrasting background further accentuated the brightness of the oranges, while careful attention to ambient light and shadow colors added depth and realism.
Finally, you focused on the finer details, using precise brush strokes and subtle highlights to bring out the juiciness and dimensionality of the fruit. By maintaining the purity of vibrant colors and incorporating warm tones, you achieved a cohesive and glowing effect. Your painting journey concluded with the addition of finishing touches, enhancing the realism and vibrancy of your still life masterpiece.