I was required to find 3 white, red, and green objects. In this exercise, there are only 2 objectives: to learn how to paint a shiny surface with colour reflections (in this case a white teapot) and to learn the indirect method of painting (the bright red napkin). The napkin is almost the colour of pure cadmium red and cadmium orange combined. Apparently, there's no way to create a full range of lights/darks in a cadmium red object without using a different technique. The normal technique would be to mix white and red together first to create a lighter value, but this only produces "pink". So the indirect technique is to paint something white FIRST and then apply glazes of cadmium red on top until the correct value is achieved...
The green is purely incidental. I was going to choose a set of plastic green grapes but was advised that they'd end up looking plastic. So then I experimented with a plastic leaves and settled on this branch of ivy. The green wine bottle in the background will be in shadow and I may pull it out entirely.
The board was suggested by an instructor as a means of adding texture that would contrast with the smooth, shiny surface of the pot. I've deliberately dangled the cloth and top leaves over the edge for another perspective.
Here's a view that from about 7 feet away. I still need to set up the canopy above the objects and angle the light differently. The light, while the correct distance, is directed straight on at the moment. I will be putting it on an angle...
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