Shells Alla Prima

It sounds like a fancy pasta dish, doesn't it?  Shells alla prima.  Time to paint it - the length of the Les Miserables soundtrack, plus about 5 minutes.  It's now summer and I was feeling in a summery mood.  So I found some of the many shells we have collected over the years - the collection was greater than I remembered - and made this set up.

At first I was in love with the colors in the larger shell.  I love how they are bold, yet subtle at the same time.  And the differences of texture, always something which catches my attention, was a challenge to capture.  I have a feeling I'll be going back to this one though, and refining it.  I want to build up the edges of the mussel shell and form of the large conch shell a bit more. Ooh!! Then maybe I can learn glazing!  Oh so much fun stuff to learn coming up!