I think I remember what a pearl looks like (ah its been so long between pearls) so I will try to construct one from first principles and logic.

           Let us imagine the largest pearl in the world sits on a red table in a room with a blue ceiling.
                I am viewing the perl and behind me is a window. Outside it is a fine sunny day.

                          If the perl was someone's 'eye' this is what it would see.

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           add a blue ceiling, some walls and a red table ... then 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 we must proceed using our applied logic.

 

      Lets get rid of the black edges, and as a pearl is not a perfect mirror I will blur everything ... and add a little milky screen (I remember pearls are a little milky, aren't they?)

                      Any artist can always be rich beyond the dreams of mere mortals.

           PS. I am concerned for you may think I am confusing computer graphics with oil painting. In either case we must learn the essence or nature of things before we can make them. With the 'pearls,' as with the world, that is the starting point, and remember everything exists in relationship to light and other things. The rest is simple logic - either with a brush or computer.

Note; Want to try this exercise? A detailed explaination of the process can be found  HERE . (Every link listed in this magazine leads to a totally free site.)Ed.