My name is Harjinder Gurnham and I am currently working on the Watercolour Painting Course with tutor Jem Bowden. I painted these last autumn for my second assignment for the Watercolours course. The apples had been just harvested and as it is always difficult to decide, for this assignment, I decided to do still-life. The knife was added to suggest the big task ahead to prepare the apples for the preserves to be yet made. On the later version I added a couple of pink roses for contrast but also to suggest the waning summer. I read somewhere that still- life is like a poem so this is what I attempted. I love poetry and have taught literature all my working life. I took up Watercolours when I retired four years ago, and I really have enjoyed this course even though it has been tough going.
Although the two paintings seem quite different in colour, I used the same colours with the exception of the blue and brown. In the bluer version I used Windsor Blue (Red shade) and Burnt Umber; French Ultramarine Blue and Raw Umber in the yellower version. The other colours were Cadmium Yellow and Alizarin Crimson. I like sable brushes better and used sizes 8 and 12 Round, size 2 and 4 Rigger along with a large mop.
Harjinder Gurnham
Watercolour Painting Course
Paintings Entitled – Last of the Summer
