February 5, 2015

"Virginia Oyster and Shell"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel
6" x 8"
2015


This is new twist on an old theme. I really enjoyed painting the warm tones of this oyster painting.  The slightly briny oysters were shucked at a friend's party over the weekend. They were staged on a venerable aluminum cookie sheet, the brushed surface of which picked up and diffused the warm light of the kitchen in a delightful way.  The yellow and pink tones of the shell and flesh of the oyster played well against such a background. 

4 comments:

Scarlet Owl said...

Hi Mark,

Big fan of your lovely oyster paintings! What a great "abstract" still life subject. May I ask the palette you use for these? Thanks and happy painting from Colorado. Aimee

Mark Adams said...

Thanks, Scarlet. I use a limited palette a la Anders Zorn: titanium white, ivory black, yellow ocher, and cadmium red light with a little Prussian blue for the cold notes.

Scarlet Owl said...

Thanks very much Mark--I love the Zorn palette too. Very interesting with the Prussian addition. You achieve such a beautiful pearly effect.

Mark Adams said...

For some odd reason, Salvador Dali, in his book "Fifty Secrets to Magic Craftsmanship", stated emphatically that Prussian blue had no business being on the palette. I disagree.