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jjwoodee
Posts:86
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| 04/05/2007 2:22 PM |
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I set up this still life and drew it in charcoal before I attempt to paint this subject in acrylic. Hopefully this study will help me when I go to paint. Comments and suggestions welcome.
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Materese
Posts:123
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| 04/05/2007 4:04 PM |
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| Nice drawing, I'd like to make some suggestions regarding the copostion. It's very static, giving no visual interest. One rule of composition is that all objects should be related to the whole, with one area as the center of interest and one object as the focal point. Your current center of interest is the banana and the light behind it - the brighest and lightest object is the center of interest, as this is what the eye is naturally drawn to. So when someone looks at this, they will think of bananas. Determine what you want to be as the center of interest and the focal point and make that area very interesting to the viewer. All of your objects are the same height,(a big no-no) and lined up like little soldiers, along the same axis; (another no-no)- move them around so that you break up these strsight lines, perhaps put the vase on it's side, and at an angle, shift objects toward the back and the front to give everything more depth. It would also be a good idea to break up that straight line of the table, either add another object or crumple up the cloth so you get an interesting fold in the fabaric. Also, you've got the edge of the tablecloth running down into the corner, it's a bright area (the eye is naturally drawn to it) and takes the viewer into a dead area of the picture. Arrange objects, lights and darks so that they all make an interesting, dynamic composition. |
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Materese
http://www.ghostwoodstudio.com
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jjwoodee
Posts:86
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| 04/05/2007 4:45 PM |
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Thanks for you feedback - it's been about the most helpful feedback I have been given in forum community so I appreciate your energy you put into your comment. When you say nice drawing, what specifically is nice about it?
I attempted to model the composition similiar to the image featured on this site http://www.ghostwoodstudio.com/html/stilllife.html
I have taken a workshop under Faigin, and being fairly new to still life I'm sorta using work as inspiration and guidance. Do you think his piece are lined up like soldiers and on the same axis? I do see however that my objects are of same height and that's a good point you make. I think you are right about the center of interest - which I my intent is to use the Soviet Russian flask off to the right as the center of interest. But I guess subconciously it became the banana. oops!
I enjoyed the piece titled 'Inwel' on you site. I see how you created depth with the different object arrangement. I like the color palatte as well, particulary the hint of lighter blue in the feather part of the quill pen. Obviously you have some experience painting still life. I just don't want my work to get trapped into a traditional formula but your idea are well taken.
So based on you feedback I will do some more thinking, arranging, and another drawing before I go into the canvas. I want to make sure I have worked out all the problem before I dive into painting as I think this approach will make the piece stronger. I think working out the drawing problems is important and I may have started to stray form this a bit.
My other still life can be found on my site http://www.jasonwitte.com/art/Gallery.html |
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Materese
Posts:123
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| 04/05/2007 7:21 PM |
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Your welcome Jason! I try to help where I can if someone is serious, and you seem to be.
By a nice drawing, you've handled the medium of charcoal well, I don't see struggle, overworking or reworking, this means you've got a level of confidence and deterity in your work, that's good. Keeping a work fresh is so important, otherwise a drawing or a painting can go "dead" very fast. Better to have a few technical errors in a work than to sacrifice vitality. (But of course, when you have gross technical errors and loss of vitality, mark it up as experience and move on!) I could give you some pointers on your rendering of the modeling (shading) if you're interested, please e-mail me.
It's interesting that you used the oil lamp painting as a model, that work was done over 3 years ago, I look at it now, and say to myself "not bad" but today, I would change so many things about it. Thank you for your comment regarding the inkwell painting, the irridessence was obtained by glazing the blue over a very warm black. Depth and focal point were achieved by carefully working the lost and found edges of all objects in the painting.
I'm not familiar w/ Faigin,or the work you refer to, sorry! I'll have to look him (her?) up.
Your work is good, interesting. If you have any more questions, you're free to e-mail me directly.
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Materese
http://www.ghostwoodstudio.com
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