Tuesday, May 22, 2007

baseball #2 (underpainting)


I did this under painting of a "Baseball" in a small box using only raw umber and ultramarine blue oil paint. The light is the white of the gessoed wood panel. I simply thinned the paint with gamsol (odorless mineral spirits) and laid it on almost like I would a watercolor, preserving the lights.
This is another study of items I've been placing in a small box for the purpose of capturing dramatic light. The objects seem to emerge from the darkness within the box if I light them correctly. I hope I can keep this spirit when I add color.

5 comments:

Michael Naples said...

This underpainting shows superb drawing skill. Those laces are perfect. Can't wait to see it finished.

Todd Bonita said...

Thanks for saying Michael. I think the laces had to be drawn with care in order to make this piece work. This is my second attempt at painting this baseball, the first one is in a landfill somewhere. Fingers crossed on this finish.
Be good,
Todd

Elizabeth A Patterson said...

Hi Todd. Love the baseball! I've been lurking around here for a while, so I know that your finished painting will be beautiful. Your comment about hoping to keep the dramatic spirit when you add color just made me think, "What?! If anyone can do it, he can!" Looking back through your blog, I was so impressed with your ability to bring a piece through so many stages of work without losing a thing. I'm constantly working on that myself.
(By the way, we met briefly at Foreside a few years back... I did some freelance work for Claire.)

Todd Bonita said...

Hey Elizabeth,
Nice of you to check in and leave your comments. What a small world, I just did some freelance for Foreside about a month ago, I hope things are well with you. I checked out your blog and your portrait in pencil is phenominal. Click on Michael Naples blog (above) and link over to his web sight to see some mind blowing pencil portrait work as well. So much talent out there, it's inspiring.
All my best,
Todd

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

I love these kinds of still lifes in the antique wooden boxes. I also like using the white of the board, much as you'd do with W/C.