This week at Little Ashcan, our artists took a journey through the Realism Art movement, which flourished between 1850 and 1930. Realism emphasizes the depiction of subjects as they appear in everyday life, without embellishment or interpretation. For our project, students focused on creating realistic fruit paintings of strawberries and cherries, a classic exercise to hone their observational and painting skills.
Still life, pitcher and fruit
Paul Cezanne
Date: 1894
Style: Post-Impressionism
Class began with direct observational drawings. Students carefully observed the details of strawberries and cherries, capturing their shapes and textures with pencils on paper. This initial step is crucial as it lays the foundation for a successful painting.
Next, students began their painting by focusing on the darker areas of shadow first. This method helps in establishing depth and contrast early in the process. Gradually, they brought forward the mid-tone values in the fruit, carefully blending and layering colors to achieve a realistic effect.
One key technique we emphasized was using the white of the paper as the intended highlight. This approach requires students to be mindful of their water usage, avoiding excess water that could blur the fine details.
Final Pieces
Through this project, our Little Ashcan artists not only learned about the Realism Art movement but also developed their skills in direct observational drawing, color mixing, and layering techniques. The results were stunning, and we couldn't be more proud of their hard work and dedication.
Stay tuned for more exciting projects and updates from Little Ashcan! 🎨✨
📞 718-819-0004
📧 infolittleneck@ashcanart.com