Colour...
There are only so many colours.
Or are there?
When I returned to the Contemporary Realist Academy for this winter session my focus was colour. (Is we are half way through.) So I set out doing Colour Studies. That is to say a 'sketch' where the primary focus is colour. So no drawing is done (the form is represented, but there is no effort to make the form accurate -- note the disproportionate arm on the right on the first example versus the third) only an effort to find colour.
This is a useful step (a) to learn to mix colour, especially in oil, and (b) to learn to see colour (the colour that is actually there, not the colour you think it is...).

So the first example is in oil -- my first attempt. It is crudely drawn (as this is not the point) and that ended up being my biggest headache. I was quickly reminded of why I am not in love with painting -- finding colour!Second I used coloured pencil, Prismacolor brand.

A note... the first example in oil is not well photographed. There is shine impacting the image you see. This example is grainy. So I am not a professional photographer. Here is proof!

Third is Tsudeneko Permanent Inks on cotton fabric.

This was exciting. working from life, not a photograph, and creating realism on fabric.

If only it were larger it could be quilted! Alas this image is about 9 inches each direction. Though now that I have done it once I see that I could do it again larger!

We shall see what comes next! Stay tuned...