I created "Cupcake," an 8 x 10 oil painting on canvas board, for a benefit supporting the homeless through the Art Students League in New York.
I rarely do themed shows. I don’t like to be told what to paint, but this was for a good cause. Participating in this show whenever possible is a way for me to give back. If my painting sells, the Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corp. receives a share, or the artist can choose to donate all of the sale proceeds.
The show’s theme was food, so I headed to the supermarket to see what I could find. I initially planned to paint fruit, but I changed my mind when I spotted some colorful cupcakes in the pastry section. It was early Fall, and these cupcakes with bright yellow and orange frosting in squiggles on top, along with cream filling, caught my eye. That looked good to me, in more ways than one.
Six cupcakes were in a container, but one seemed to disappear when I got home. I added a red plate with its little heart shape on the side to complete an analogous color scheme. The warm hues were offset and complemented by a cool, white cloth and a steely, blue background.
I cut an orange-topped cupcake in half and placed a yellow-topped one beside it. I couldn't resist and gobbled up the cupcake I had cut, leaving a few crumbs on the plate. I stepped back, eyed it, and decided that the crumbs improved the composition. So, I cut another cupcake in half and arranged the pieces until they were just right. When I was satisfied with the composition, I took some reference photos. It pays to take the time to do this because food props tend to get consumed or go bad.
I needed to work quickly to paint from life as long as possible. A crushing deadline can bring a sense of spontaneity and lead to clean, decisive brushstrokes in a painting. When time is limited, there's no room for second-guessing or overthinking your choices.
I worked with a primary palette for this painting, using three reds, two yellows, and two blues. Ivory Black has blue undertones and can be considered a dark, low-chroma blue. Here’s the palette:
- Cadmium Yellow Light (M Graham)
- Cadmium Yellow Medium (Michael Harding)
- Cadmium Red Light (Rembrandt)
- Quinacridone Rose (Rembrandt)
- Transparent Oxide Red (Rembrandt)
- Ultramarine Blue (Michael Harding)
- Ivory Black (Rembrandt)
- Titanium White (Michael Harding)
Transparent Oxide Red with a tiny bit of Cadmium Red Light plus Ivory Black was used for the cupcakes, and shadows on the plate. Touches of this mixture were added to Titanium White for the cream filling.
I mixed Quinacridone Rose and Cadmium Yellow Medium to create the brilliant orange frosting. Cadmium Yellow Medium was the hue for the bright yellow topping, with Cadmium Yellow Light for the highlights. The cupcake mixture created the shadows for both the yellow and orange frosting.
The red plate was painted with Cadmium Red Light for highlights. This was then mixed with Quinacridone Rose plus Ivory black for the shadows on the lighter (left) side of the plate.
The steel blue background and white cloth were made with Ultramarine Blue, a hint of Transparent Oxide Red, and Ivory Black with varying amounts of Titanium White.
The shadow under the plate uses this blue background mixture with a little more Transparent Oxide Red added to warm the shadow color because it is under a red plate. Note that as the edge of the shadow fades out it becomes redder by adding a little Cadmium Red Light to the white cloth mix. That gives the illusion of the plate reflecting some of its red hue onto the cloth.
With the painting completed, varnished, and dropped off at the Art Students League, it was soon time for the show at the Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corp.
When I arrived for the opening, I was met by a lively blues band that was belting out tunes. Homeless residents were serving wine, snacks, and desserts that had been donated by local restaurants. Part of the evening's proceeds went towards paying them for their work and assisting them in job training.
As I made my way through the crowd to the bathroom, I was nabbed by the lead singer to sing with her. I tried to get away, but she had a firm grip on my arm. “Don’t be shy,” she crooned into the microphone that rocketed around the room. So, with no escape in sight and egged on by the crowd, I found myself singing a rather croaky rendition of “When the Saints Come Marching In”.
At that point, a friend of mine popped in to see the show, and his jaw dropped to the floor. I finished the song and dashed for the wine bar while he bombarded me with questions.
Anyway, the show wound down and no one bought “Cupcake”, so my friend and I decided to find a quiet place to sit, chat, and laugh about my newfound singing career. Despite the lack of a sale, it was a memorable night.
Paintings are more than just oil paint and canvas; they are an accumulation of experiences and memories. It’s the story behind each one that makes it unique and special.
All the best,
Rose Ann
https://www.roseannfineart.com/
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