Last I worked on this was in September....I tried to get "cute" and paint a bunch of abstract designs...however...something is dreadfully wrong...the only thing I like on it are the nice soft colors....please tell me whats wrong....need your help! I'm so confused I don't even know which way I should hang the thing........
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Comments
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I like the one on the right.
Mark......thank you for your nice comment...I don't know why but whenever I try to paint light, pastel colors...I have difficulty getting my values correct....need lots more practice that's for sure......The actual colors in this painting are very nice...and it always amazes me how I can get such fabulous colors with just the usage of 4 colors & white...
CharleyBoy & Ronna...appreciate your input...I think your both...absolutely...right in saying the spoon, the "thing" that everyone thinks is a bowl is supposed to be an empty dreyer's ice cream carton...made of thick paper....and the spoon is an old, small dull silver color...it appears washed out because I've cut the painting in half (on a diagonal) against the washed out background on the right...it has produced one big washed out area....Oh..THANK YOU ....I just couldn't see it until you pointed it out...I'm going to work on this...will post when I fix it...
Vincent....I'm still smiling and laughing at your post...appreciate your straight forwardness...and "tell it like it is" attitude.......in other words...quit whining, trash it and move on. I really want to do that...however...I'm not a "quitter".....the beauty of oil paint is that anything can be reworked and fixed....I love the challenge of making something better. I WILL FIX it...it may not be a masterpiece...but I won't give up...
In real life...the colors are not chalky at all....it's just my lousy photography...You are also correct in that I need to be more aware of just placing the color down and leaving it....I tend to blend too much...oh...will I ever learn???? Thank you for your input and putting lots of laughter in my day!
Sorry that you may have misunderstood my comment... I actually wasn't commenting on your painting or your painting technique... far from it and I wouldn't dare (!!!), as I know you're a good artist (based on your paintings and your critiques).
I was just agreeing with part of what Vincent had written, as a general thought. I didn't want to click "Agree" on his actual comment because I didn't agree with his suggestion to get rid of your painting (1st paragraph), although I'm sure Vincent wrote it in jest.
I do so love your painting! I didn't want to comment on it because I'm no expert and I actually doubt my artistic eye... for example, I really prefer the left one, but Mark and Ronna prefer the one on the right... so I'm still analysing/digesting why...
Don't toss, let dry! Put it up for a couple of days. Then take another good photo of the painting, and see what is going wrong.
Place a mirror in back of you for a third eye. This way you can judge how close you are to your goal. It's very helpful.
Ice cream is hard to paint, and its mostly due to smoothest and some hard to do shadows. I tried it also, and had a field day. Just had to keep telling myself to come close.
More detail is needed on the spoon. You need some found edges, soft edges, reflective light, reflective color, and depth shadow. Its soft, you're not showing metal as cold or hard (if it was described as an emotion).
Your painting is beautiful. I thought it was truly a photograph. I say let it dry, and start over with your mixed colors, not too much blending. Try this trick on blending (1, 2, 3 stop blending) move on to the next part of the painting. Don't fix, unless its extremely necessary.
This is just an opinion, and I'm commenting base on the photo. If I was standing in front of the live painting, I'm sure my view would be different.
I love that you're taking a different approach towards painting. Your work is reminding me of Trompe L'oeil on canvas.
I've always been a fan of your work, and this piece is just another great work of art.
I actually always say when something jumps at me in a painting, but to be honest I can't get what looks wrong to you.
For me it looks perfect like it is. I would not change anything and hang it like in the right pic. Hey it's a fantastic painting!!!!!!!!!!! =D>
I agree about the spoon... I like the painting a lot Savannah!
Thanks for all that, Gary! Interesting!
I must also read/research more about it... as well as gather all my notes on composition. @-)
Shirley...you know me well.. Ah..the dead leaf...had to just add some drama to the painting.....and break up all the angular.round objects with something edgy....
Vangie....since I did an aerial camera shot of the set up....the right one is what I painted my photo from...but flipped it to the left one because I thought the right one looked like a giant sucker...ha! I don't especially like the spoon pointing upward on the left pic...so now you know...why I'm confused......
Ronna......glad you noticed the scoop leading your eye into the painting...now that was deliberate.....
Gary...you brought up some wonderful points...appreciate your sharing info...
Liz....you may just find an extra package from Santa in the mail this Christmas...
Cynthia...you are SO correct on that spoon....I made a hard object "soft"...and thank you for the tricks on a mirror behind me (I will try this) and 1-2-3 blending...both I will be trying...thanks!
I like the top view as well. I think what you did here is pretty darn awesome! There is some great perspective with the cherries. I would love this painting in any room. Wonderful!!!!
What I think could do the trick for you is kicking up the contrast in terms of darker darks and some lighter lights. Pull the values apart. I'm a contrast junkie and that's what i do. Make the darkest darks in the red pure alizarin crimson with no mixing and no white.
This painting is not one I did. It's by Hall Groat but I own it. Notice how juicy and dark his cherries are, notice the value difference between his lights and darks. You have value differences as well but are the darkest darks as dark?
You know what ... as I look at this online I see that the darks are not as dark as they are in real life. Trust me, the darkest part of the cherries is darker than it looks in this poor photo taken from my iPhone.
G
Gary....You got me "pegged" well because I did grow up in the heart of the midwest, Iowa..spent lots of time out on Grandma's farm and my first pie I ever made looked just like this...with homemade ice cream, hand churned...so, you are picking up a part of my history in the painting, without even being conscious of it!
I was going to try & change something...but after Guru Mark left his comment...on loving it and the subdued colors....I feel good about not changing it now!
Also, Hal Groat is a wonderful artist & I love his painting of cherry pie...and I thank you for your comments....however, I deliberately changed the colors in this to be very subdued and soft (another experiment)...even the cherries...the photo was quite garish...really orange colored crust, bright red cherries, etc...so I attempted to change things...which came out well because I love the actual colors....I'm hoping Liz will really like it!
I grew up in Iowa too!
knowing how much time and love that we pour into it...and someone actually loves it too.....well....let me say..."it just warms my heart"....
PS...the sale of this goes toward my new "Printer" that Santa forgot to bring to me this Christmas... :x
My printer is about to retire ... but if you want
Maria
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Correct blood sister???
Maria