Many feel that the most difficult part of any artistic endeavor is the beginning. One way I overcome this is to place limitations on my ideas. Orson Welles is quoted as saying, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” Research into creativity has shown that limitations or constraints actually enhance the creative process.
Theordore Geisel, better known as Dr. Suess, said, “If you’re someone who writes or paints, don’t be afraid to try constraints.” Geisel was challenged by his editor to write a book using just 50 different words. Not only was Geisel successful, but he wrote one of his most celebrated and successful books. The book he wrote was Green Eggs and Ham.
Before any art project, I begin by giving myself an assignment. Just saying I am going to draw a still life, a portrait or a landscape can cause me to draw nothing but a blank. However, if I say my still life must be seasonal fruit and have an analogous color scheme, (colors close on the color wheel) I immediately think of possible ideas.
For the project below, I began with a trip to the grocery. I noticed that Rainier cherries were in season. I grabbed a bag of them and set up my still life. Using the limited palette (analogous) idea, I decided to place the cherries in a white bowl with a red and white napkin underneath.
I sketched the still life on Stonehenge white paper(Bristol works well too.). With Prismacolor colored pencils, I began by layering colors from light to dark. I started by scumbling (small, overlapping, circular type strokes) with Jasmine yellow. I followed that with multiple layers of Poppy red, Crimson red and finally, Tuscan red for the darkest areas. I added Indigo blue to enhance the darkest areas. Apple green and Sienna were used for the stems. Slate blue was used in the shadow. Below you can see my bowl of cherries drawing in various stages as well as the finished, colored pencil drawing, “Life is just a…”
