Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Green Apples


I have admired so many food artists work. I just love seeing all the amazing realistic things they do. The gorgeous arrangements that are worthy of a still life painting. I have wondered what the shiny gooey stuff is that makes cakes and sauces glisten. These and many more are the techniques that are a total mystery to me. It maybe time to find a good book (if there is such a thing) on the subject just to satisfy my curiosity. This is not something I want to get seriously involved in.

Today I decided to try something really simple, just a few green apples. No one seems to make loose things like this. If you want something on your own china that isn't glued down to it, you have to figure it out yourself.

So I got out the polymer clays I had to see if I could get the right color. I used a lot of transparent in the mix. They still need some flecks of brown and maybe a pale yellow patches here and there. No idea at all about how to do that.

I think I will form heavy foil in the bowl and then slip out the foil, do the arrangement and bake it in the foil. That way it will fit in or on the bowl or plate without being permanently fixed to it.

22 comments:

  1. Catherine, they're brilliant!
    Its all theory to me still, but I think you can add colour by grating dry (non-oily) pastel and painting this powder on with a soft brush. Also it's good to bake on baking paper to prevent shine.

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  2. These are beautiful!
    You did a great work!

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  3. I think you did a wonderful job for those apples! They look absolutely beautiful!

    You can use acrylic and pastels on poly clay. Play with those. You might get some very interesting results!

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  4. They look wonderful, I should take my clays out and do some stuff, but haven't felt like it yet :)

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  5. Catherine I use Pastels on unbaked clay to get the shading. But don't use the Oil based ones..x

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  6. I love them and that you chose to do green apples. Very nice! Here are two links for tutorials that add the "shiny" part by using gallery glass or varnish. http://www.cdhm.org/tutorials/learn-to-sculpt-miniature-breakfast.html
    http://christeljensen.blogspot.com/search/label/Tutorial

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  7. You are a Lady of many talents Catherine! They look so good!

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  8. I love these little still lifes in miniature. You've done a lovely job with yours...the green apples are perfect in the blue & white bowl.

    The only fruit I've ever tried are grapes (didn't use nearly enough transparent) and candy apples (used resin for the candy part). It's fun ...and a challenge... to try new things like this.

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  9. Te han quedado maravillosas!!!
    Para sombrear, tendrias que utilizar tizas pastel, nada con aciete.
    besitos ascension

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  10. Beautiful,gorgeous work.They are looking sooo real.I´m amazed!!!
    Kicki.

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  11. Yummy - I love green apples, and yours look good enough to eat! Nice work!

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  12. Very good these green appels, well done!

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  13. Beautiful job Catherine! Everything you try comes out looking fantastic the first time around! So not fair, too much talent given to one person, LOL.
    Not only that, but you come up with great ideas-like with Cauliflower your lamb, and your idea with the foil and the apples.

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  14. Debbie and Daisy,

    Thank you for the tips and links. I really appreciate it.

    Thanks to all! :-) XXX

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  15. I think the result is great, since you're such a profane!
    I love apples and your composition is, as usual, Caravaggio!
    To me, these apples do not seem stuck :-)

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  16. Love your scene and the way you made the apples,they look very real.Hugs,Jeannette

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  17. They are wonderful Catherine!!

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  18. Lovely apples, you've done a great job!
    And the arrangement looks perfect.
    Lucia

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  19. Your apples are so real and beautiful, Catherine!
    Nothing is difficult for you.
    Super excellent!

    Love,
    Oiseau

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  20. Oh dear! I just discovered you can't add color with the pastels after you have baked the clay. Oh well... I can make some more. I wasn't really happy with the stems anyway.

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  21. Your apples are very realistic. That scene is wonderful.
    Catherine, is there something you cannot work?...lol...I think no!
    All your works are outstanding!
    Hugs,
    Karin

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