"The Corner Table"

Add a Comment

Comment by Sharon Casavant on February 23, 2012 at 2:59

Thanks for your comment, Richard, I thoroughly appreciate it.  I'm taking all that you said to heart and will try to apply in my next painting.  I agree with the cropping, and I thought the same thing, but once I got started, oh, well.  The canvas  was too large and I didn't know what to do with the rest of the painting once the main subjects were done.  I thought the table idea would be good to off-set all the "curves" to have variety, but like you said it is still too much extra space.   I agree also that the side of the pitcher is too bright!   It was hard and I put lots of layers over it.  Thanks again!

Comment by Rose Herczeg on February 23, 2012 at 0:20

Very beautiful! Totally love the colors and brush work. Congratulations!

Comment by Richard Robinson on February 22, 2012 at 16:53

Design 

Nice painting Sharon. The design is very eye catching, as much for it's dark/light contrast as for it's colour and shape placements. I can see you've spent some considerable time playing with ideas and it has paid off. It feels to me that there's a tad to much space around your subjects (this is totally subjective of course), and I might have gone so far as to crop it as in the image below right. To me, the cropped image looks stronger and more dynamic - there is more light space on show and your main subject fills more of the canvas. It also makes the crimson less overpowering. However, maybe I like it more like that because I'm a guy. Your design has more femininity about it - with the plush crimson setting and flowing fabric it reminds me of a jewel on a large velvet cushion. Something to thnk about anyway.

 

Colour

It is a nice arrangement of colour shapes as I said and you have some good strong colour in your fruit but what it's lacking is a coherent colour for the light on the scene. The light on the jug and bowl and fabric looks very cool whilst the light on the fruit and table looks very warm. You need to start looking at the overall colour of the light on your subject. I know how difficult it is to paint whitish objects - to get those grays on the right side of warm or cool is extremely challenging. It just looks to me like you chose the wrong side this time. Inventing the crimson setting colour is a hugely tricky thing to do and get right simply because it changes nearly every colour in your painting, or should do, so my advice would be that if you want to paint a crimson fabric backdrop, go get a crimson fabric backdrop. You and I are not yet at the point where we can go making these things up willynilly without paying a heavy price in terms of realism. Yes you've used your artistic licence which is great, but how much you risk inventing should depend on the goals you have for your painting.

Brushwork

I do like the movement in your brushwork - again it seems to be very feminine, full of long languid swishiness - beautiful. You nearly have that resonating through the whole piece. It's in the bowl, the jug and fabric, but sadly you tightened up a bit on the fruit, which is understandable because they are smaller forms, but I would really like to see that lyrical brushwork throughout the whole painting. Maybe on the next one?

Realism

Again, nice to see you using your artistic licence in changing the colour of the setting and the inclusion of a table and glass bowl, however you lose a lot of realism when you try to paint imagined things like that. Also, you've broken the unity of some of your shadows by making the reflected lights to light in value compared to the shadow. Keep in mind throughout the whole painting, 'what am I painting? Is it light, or is it shadow?' Be clear about that and your subjects will be much more solidly real.

Comment by Sharon Casavant on February 22, 2012 at 15:15

16 x 20 inches painted in oil on canvas.

Comment by Richard Robinson on February 22, 2012 at 13:02

Nice one Sharon. What's the size and medium and surface please?

Comment by Sharon Casavant on February 17, 2012 at 9:40

This is a hand-washing pitcher and basin, actually, that an 84 yr old woman friend of mine gave to me.  So, I will pass it down the line.  I am going to give her a print of this.

Comment by Sharon Casavant on February 11, 2012 at 2:22

Thank you Dorian!    I tried to get a good composition, using different elements, and  color harmony throughout the painting.  I had to make up the table from my mind, and the small saucer.  I wanted a small glass saucer in the painting because my husband said the grapes didn't stand out much - and I believe he was right!

Comment by Dorian Aronson on February 10, 2012 at 16:42

Hi Sharon

You have worked hard and it shows. Such a complex design, so many different elements all painted  beautifully.

Comment by Sharon Casavant on February 10, 2012 at 13:08

Thanks so much, Timothy!  I really had fun with it!

Comment by Timothy Luk on February 10, 2012 at 10:34

You did a really great job with a well-composed painting with great flow throughout it!

The pottery is beautiful and the fruit look delicious

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page