Palette Knifes

So, I had another painting assignment. I loathed the last one, because I didn't know how to go about doing anything, and well, this time was a little bit better. 

There are a couple still life settings around the room, and we were supposed to pick one to paint. I had scoped out my spot the class period before, but when I arrived the next class, another girl had taken my spot. I was disappointed and I didn't know where to go. 

I looked around at the other still lifes until one spoke to me. You know it when you see it, you know? Something about whatever it is just speaks to you in such a way that you feel like you have to capture it before it slips away. 

That's how I felt when I saw the apple next to a stack of books and a light bulb. And I thought to myself, it's the perfect thing for a future teacher to paint, for obvious reasons. 

I was a little worried about how to go about painting this, because now we are supposed to use our palette knifes instead of paintbrushes. 

We started out with brushes on the first day to lay down some color before we started applying paint with a knife.

The white part is the unpainted canvas. I haven't yet started on those pieces.

I started with a palette knife on the apple and then I attempted to do the top book, but I got frustrated with color matching and moved on to what will eventually be the Christmas ornament on top of the book. So far it's just a redish-orangish-pinkish blob that I am extremely unhappy with.

But I like the apple so far. I have more work to do as far as it's concerned, but I'll get there.

As I worked I moved down to the other two books because they were smaller, and then I started in on the gold fabric.

So far, I hate the gold fabric. I hate it. With a fiery passion that can be unmatched by my hate for any other gold fabric I've encountered in my life.

I worked on the gold fabric a lot, but the paints were still too wet and kept mixing together making colors that I didn't want where I didn't want them. It was just generally frustrating. 

I decided at that point it was time for a pizza bagel from Einstein's and a blended coffee drink. I will start again on Monday.