click on the painting to enlarge the imageSummer Still Life - Work in Progress
14"x18"
oil on canvas
I finished teaching my oil painting class at the Joslyn Art Museum. By the last class you could really see the improvement everyone had made. ... ( And they still enjoy painting!). Since they have done so well I figure I should move along on my still life. Here is the latest stage. Still adding color but trying to control the values.
In my class I talked about picking the star of the composition and making sure everything else played a supporting role to the star. To me, the star of this show is the cantaloupe. Even though it sits behind the grapes ( and the grapes are trying hard to upstage the star) I feel the grapes offer the support of contrast as they go back into the rich color of the melon. The apple doesn't take away any of the spot light and the brass bowl does a good job as the backdrop. It works well as a neutral tone to help set off the orange.
Thinking of your composition as a Broadway stage play with stars ad supporting characters is a great way to check that your painting will still hold interest long after you are finished
3 comments:
Great to know that your work is in progress...keep going..enjoy working..nice post..
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Jack
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I'm sure you are right about the cantaloupe being the star of the composition - but for me it's the brass bowl because I WISH I HAD ONE! You've painted it so wonderfully, I would run right out and buy one if I could.
And the highlight on the bowl was critical - I covered it up with my finger, just to see, and it changes the mood entirely. Makes me wonder what things we artists might miss on occasion that would make or break a whole painting.
I really like this design..
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