Title: Capturing Colors in White

In this piece, I’ve depicted a basket filled with garlic using oil paint on canvas.

What sets an artist apart from an ordinary person is their unique vision. An artist can perceive various colors in a white object, whereas a regular person may only see it as white. Painting a white object poses a significant challenge, as white is not truly white, and shadows are not purely black.

This exercise is crucial to awaken the artist within yourself. Here are the steps to follow:

Materials needed:

• Oil paints
• Paintbrushes
• Canvas
• A white-colored object

Steps:

Step 1: Bring a completely white object and place it on a table.
Step 2: Observe the light falling on the object carefully:
• Try to perceive how it is, not just what it is. See through your eyes, not your preconceptions.
• Observe its surface, texture, and the quality of light falling on it. If it’s sunlight, it may appear
slightly lemon yellow; if under colorful light, those colors will be visible on the object.
• Feel the warmth or coolness of the light.
Step 3: Observe the shadow on the object:
• Note the color of the shadow; it could be bluish, greenish, or brownish. You might even see
all of these colours or any other colour in the shadow.
Step 4: Be honest with yourself. Paint the colors you see and don’t worry about societal expectations.
Step 5: Paint directly with oil paints, capturing all the observations made during the process.