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To understand the world of gemstones we must truly understanding the
laws, the light and shade, reflected light, the interaction between the
environment, color and the memories of all the things around you. To
explain how this works in its simplest sense I am going to reconstruct
a precious pearl.
OK, I think I remember what a pearl
looks like. Ah, its been so long between pearls. I will try to
construct one from memory, first principles and logic.
To begin, let us imagine the largest pearl in the world sits on a
red table in a room with a blue ceiling. I am the viewer and I view the
perl from the front while behind me is a window. Outside it is a fine
bright sunny day.
Now if the pearl was someone elses 'eye' we must imagine what it would see!!.
It would see me, basic and a little crude - but that dosen't matter at this stage?
The window in the same condition.
Together ...
Add a blue ceiling, some walls and a red table (this is roughly what
the pearl would see if it could see). Next we squeeze it into a round
shape (with a computer this is easy, in a painting you would work
backward.) I am a little disappointed at this stage as it looks rather
raw and nothing like a pearl. But, staring failure in the eye, we must
proceed (forever faithful to our logic).
So lets us rid ourselves of the black edges. Then, since a pearl is not a perfect mirror, I will blur everything ...
Now we can and add a little milky screen (I somehow remember pearls are a little milky, aren't they?)
Still too much saturated color and dark values - so maybe another yellowish screen (glaze) ...
OK ; Now let's cut it out and give it a hard edge ... as it is not made of fur!
(later we will look at a lesson on how edge effects texture) ...
That's looks better. Now for the suggested table and ceiling
But can't I have a string, seeing I made it myself?
Why, I'm virtually rich! So why can't a pauper have a millionaire's
imagination? I expect any artist can always be rich beyond the dreams
of mere mortals, the difficulty becomes one of keeping reality in plain
view.
We must all learn the essence or nature of things before we can make
them. With our 'pearls,' as with the world, that is the starting point,
and remember, everything exists in relationship to light and other things nearby. The rest is simple logic. OK, lets look some more into the world of precious metals.
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