The Jean-Talon market offers many opportunities to paint vibrant colorful scenes such as this one which is the both of Ultrafruits on the north flank of the market. Although the yellow umbrella was the focal and starting point, adding the figures was the challenge since no one stops to pose. A market void of people is a non image.
The key to drawing the figures was to locate the approximate level of the heads and place these first. Then, depending on the distance of the figure to my position I drew them either tall, medium or smaller. Adjusting the proportional size of the head to the body comes with years of drawing the figure. Usually a figure is about six or seven heads tall for an adult. Shoulder width is about a head width. It is best to draw the arm length longer than shorter as an arm resting by the body falls below the crouch which is about the half-way point. Another consideration is placing light shirt figures in front of dark areas and vice-versa. I sometimes add stripes to clothing to define volume. It's color is dependant on color found elsewhere. This adds unity.
Finally, remember that I drew the image with a permanent ink marker first, outlining the main forms, meaning there is no chance of erasing. Then, I proceeded to add watercolor deciding as I go to leave certain areas the white of the paper unpainted. Again, there is very little room for correction if any. I thoroughly enjoy this challenge much like an athelete gets a rush performing an acrobatic move. It took me approximately a bit more than an hour to complete this one. Size: 8 1/2 x 11 in. on Strathmore Aquarius II paper.
