When I started working for the St. Petersburg Times, it was long enough ago that clip art was not pervasive, and I would actually create illustrations, as well as design ads. This illustration in acrylics was the cover for a multi-page tabloid of readers' favorite recipes.
I achieved an interesting texture by painting on a matte board that was pebbled to look like burlap. As you can see in the detail, I applied the acrylic paint thinly, like a watercolor, allowing the surface texture of the board to show through.
The title of the section was printed over the tan square at the top.
When I choose colors for a painting — any painting — I tend to think in terms of edible colors! I want a buttery yellow, a tomato red, or a crisp green. So I suppose painting food comes naturally.
Bon appetit!
Tims have certainly changed, haven't they Mark. I like your idea of edible colours! Especially where pictures of food are concerned
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, Nice art work. It's not easy to make fruit and vegetables look like the real thing. Interesting the way you thinned the acrylics and painted onto burlap.
ReplyDeleteDavid, choosing edible colors has always worked for me. I think we could get a big grant and do a study on that whole line of thought.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gina! But I wasn't actually painting on burlap - I was painting on the paper surface of matte board, a surface that was printed and embossed to resemble burlap.
This is so beautiful that you should have something like it in your kitchen, maybe like a Fornasetti or Archimboldo face done in vegetables and stalks of grain.
ReplyDeleteI am also partial to greens which are mossy or the colour of a bell pepper. Ever notice how rubber garden hoses are the totally wrong colour of green on the lawn? Most plant greens are more olive, like a uniform. I also love tomato red, or orange-reds, or Chinese reds...they sing, especially next to blue or yellow!
Thanks, Terry. I've thought about doing an Archimboldo face. Since I live in Florida, perhaps I should do it as seashells instead of vegetables.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful illustration. No clip art could ever achieve this effect!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stacey, you are very kind.
ReplyDeleteOh Mark! You simply have to paint an Archimboldo inspired piece! I do love the textured board you were working on. It really makes the work look vintage.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Theresa. That's two votes for Archimboldo - I guess I better get busy!
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