Study in Four Squares

6 inch. x 6 inch, oil on Crescent Board

I had set up a still life to paint but felt I didn't have enough time for my goal of doing it alla prima, so I opted to do four 15 minute studies of just the bowl. I like doing these studies a whole lot.  It's a great opportunity to experiment and learn.  In between each square I clean my palette and sit back and try and recognize the problems with it and think how I might do the next different.  Then I change the lightening and position a little, set the timer, and try again.
The first two squares my palette was limited with my only blue being ultramarine and my only red alizarin crimson. The third square I added phthalo blue for the bowl, but not the shadow. For the fourth, in addition to the phthalo blue I added cadmium red. It doesn't quite show in the photo but I put a line of cadmium red just in the shadow where the table meets the wall and it glows ever so slight---really lovely.