Oil Painting lesson with Gregory Smith - Day 5

I started today by working on a porcelain vase. I tried to get its three dimensional shape right. It's not a complicated shape, but, I still found it very difficult to paint.

The takraw ball was even worse. This one is very complex with an interwoven structure, and I really had no idea of how to approach it.

Greg told me that I should put a dark first, so I darkened an entire area, and then using one brush stroke at a time, I tried to create at least an illusion of its shape. I don't think I did a good job, but, I leave it for now.

Then I worked on the piano keyboard. Greg was very helpful. Again, the point is not to worry too much about its details, but, to get an overall shape right by using a tonal structure.

I had a big problem of getting the angle of black keys consistent. It was getting too steep towards the left, it should be getting more horizontal.

Although it was a very tough lesson, I learned a lot today.

Work in progress. 16 x 20 in.