The Challenge of Cherries

Dry on Dry Technique - that's what our next exercise is about.  And cherries - not Bing (which I think might have been an easier project), but Rainers ... grown in the Okanagan, excellent for eating; challenging for drawing (in my estimation).  That's because the skin colour is a yellowish red blush when ripe, and for us that means layers - lots of them, and pencils - lots of them also.

I'm saying this now - and I want to go on the record - that one or two cherries would have sufficed.  But no - we get a bowl full (insert appropriate Erma Bombeck book title here).

Again, we're not drawing the cherries from scratch - we transfer the image to our hot press paper, then the layering challenge begins.  Each cherry will have seven colours - starting first with yellow - everywhere.

After two different shades of yellow, we move on to the mid tone colours which will be orange and red-orange.  The colours are feathered on lightly, and as we move away from the light course the shading can become a bit heavier.  They don't really look like much at this point, but I have to have faith.

About this time in the process I am starting to doubt my ability/patience to complete this project.  Each x!# cherry takes a lot of time ... it seems to be a process that can't be rushed. I'm also looking longingly at my brushes and water ... with just one fell swoop, my cherry could be complete - shaded, blended, game over.  But no - it's a technique we're learning ... and so I persevere - lightly shading, shading, shading ...

When I began, I was planning to do each layer of each cherry before moving onto the next one.  But I see now that actually completing one cherry, with all it's many layers, has some benefit.  It establishes the darkest tone, and makes the other relative tones easier to see.  

So finally I move onto the "local colours" - two different shades of red (numbers 421 and 142 in the Faber-Castell watercolour pencil palette) and I lightly sketch in the stems because I'm feeling crazy!

It's now days in the making, and as the cherries outside the bowl loom before me, I feel a sense of something ... it's not peace, really, but it is a contentment of sorts.  A sense of wonderment, and a bit of satisfaction, as I actually see these little lovely pieces of fruit come to life before my eyes.

During the process of shading the many layers, my mind is totally focused and is almost in a meditative state.  When I put down my pencils to take a break, I feel rested and rejuvenated.  Wow.  For the first time in this whole endeavour, I like the artistic process.  It's not necessarily that "I get it", but I do get something ... and I'm enjoying myself.  So here they are - my cherries completed (with the addition of the "dark accents" - number 263 for those of you following along).

This would be a good time to call it a day ... but for the bowl and shadows. 

"But I love my cherries - I don't want to wreck them."  No matter.  Time to face the monster head on. Courage. Be bold. Just draw the darn thing.  So, armed with my Blues (#63 and 247 for the edge of the bowl), I press on.   

Here it is.  That's it.  Rainer cherries in a bowl.  Done.