The course is presented with Ulead PhotoImpact in mind but is general in scope so that any graphics application can be used. I am using both Corel Painter IX and Adobe Photoshop CS. Lots of drawing and painting basics information!

The thumbnail images below will open into a new, larger window. Be sure to close after viewing.

1. This was an Empire apple (I say was, it has now been eaten, lunch yesterday). I placed the apple on a chair with a light to the left of it. I had placed it on an old pair of black velvet pants that I now use as a drape when I do macro photography. I wanted the challenge of trying to not only paint the fruit, but to try painting fabric as well. I felt pretty good as I was doing it because I could notice that each time I used the Airbrush to try to create a fold, it began to look something like fabric to me. I appreciate the hint of not using bright white for highlights.
2. Of course, there is a story to the lemons as well. I set them up on the same chair with a pinkish piece of fabric but decided to color it yellow. I painted the right lemon first and later, when I was going to paint the left lemon, the cats had jumped on the chair and rearranged my props. So, I painted the second lemon by what I hope might be near the correct lighting and shading...I did notice that the shadow is more intense closer to the object and then an almost hard line can be seen where the lighter shadow begins..almost as if there are 2 distinct shadows...at least in this situation I had set up. I might add that I think I over textured this one.
3. The third painting is a single lemon placed on the tablet near the computer monitor. I experimented with an Impasto Brush. I tried all sorts of things to attempt recreating the stippled look of the lemon peel. Ended up using the Airbrush, Coarse Spray.
4. Last is a collection of sketches I did of things on my desk...speaker, kitchen timer...then tried freehand with the other shapes. Did a lot of sketching on paper but did not take the time to scan and place here.

I am placing this sample of some swishes of the Dry Bristle brush in Artists' Oils in PainterIX with a sprayover of the Airbrush Coarse Spray where I had adjusted the brush controls to try for a wider spread of the spray. Another thing to work at when there is more time...if ever there is!