"Clementines and Blue Jar", 8x10"

This little painting is a demo piece that I did for a class on painting glass last week.  I love painting glass.  It forces me to slow way down and observe what is in front of me, rather than letting my brain say "OK I got this", and painting what I think I see.

For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Clementines.

Here are some basic steps I follow when I paint glass.

Here's my reference.

I start by drawing in the basic shapes of the still life, including the shape of the glass object.

I paint in the shadows of the objects, including the shadows showing through the glass.

I look for the turning edges of the glass-- sometimes these edges are lighter and sometimes they are darker than the glass object.  These edges describe the shape and transparency of the object.  The last things to add are the highlights on the glass, typically nearest the light source, such as the highlight on the rim of the bottle.

Glass is a challenge, but it is almost always a rewarding one!