Monday, November 29, 2010

Bowl of lemons






Yea!  Something to take the place of those peppers.  I was getting really tired of them.

This painting evolved.  I started with the bowl of lemons, and I thought, I don't want to put them right in the middle of the canvas, so I moved them a little to the side.  I was liking how it was going until I stepped back and realized the painting looked too off center. But I had too much invested in those lemons to wipe it and start over!

My granddaughter came the day before Thanksgiving (that's how long ago I started this!)  and she said, "Nana it looks like it's falling out of the painting."

So I added the lemon on the table this weekend to give it balance, and today, I tweaked the painting a little more, adding more blue to the background.  So I am thoroughly tired of this one, too!

Here's what my grandchildren and I did before I started cooking...we made pilgrims and Indians out of toilet paper rolls and construction paper.   If you click on the photo you can see it better.

23 comments:

  1. Wonderful pilgrims and Indians. Sounds like fun!
    I think it was worth it to move the bowl to the side so you could add the other lemon. It's where your thinking was going, so it's a good thing you didn't wipe it off!
    Nice bowl and lemons.

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  2. Thanks, Caladh. We had so much fun making those. We spent all evening on the floor around the coffee table.

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  3. In any case, those lemons look healthy, and I like the bowl, too!and about your background, how do you obtain this nice color?

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  4. Thank you, Sylviane. I used ultramarine blue, burnt umber, and titanium white. It makes nice grays, and you can vary it towards blue or brown by the amount of blue or burnt umber you add.

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  5. Virginia,
    I like your bowl and agree that the one lemon on the table balances it. Good choice there. This is fresh and the white bowl is painted well with the lines in it. Great job!

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  6. Your decision to add the lemon on the table was a good one, as it balanced the painting. I always like cropping pieces of the subject out and letting the mind fill in what isn't there. If you hadn't told your story I would have thought it was a nice composition, that you arrived at effortlessly. Your lemons are nicely formed. I always find the shadows on lemons difficult. Finding just the right colours and tones to create the form is challenging. Non painters have no idea of the challenges and decision making we face every time we put paint to canvas. Nice job and your Thanksgiving crafts were fun too. It looks like you had a great family time!

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  7. Virginia il y aurait eu de quoi en avoir "ras le bol"! mais vous avez persistez et pour la bonne cause, puisque cette toile me paraît très bien équilibrée et vos citrons sont parfait, leur couleur est irréprochable. Le bol n'en parlons pas, les éloges ont été faites dans les commentaires précédents...
    J'aime le résultat de vos indiens et pèlerins... Vous avez du passer un doux moment avec vos petits enfants...
    Gros bisous à vous,

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  8. Thank you Claire and Martinealison. I appreciate your visit and your comments. Claire, you are right that non-artists don't have any idea of what goes into a painting. I myself had no idea before I started painting this year. I can appreciate others' efforts now so much more!

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  9. Virginia! So nice to see you back to work! Your bowl of lemons is very nice---great job on painting the forms and I love the yellow against that beautiful blue/gray background.

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  10. Virginia, cette toile est réussie, les citrons magnifiques, cela donne envie de faire une bonne tarte aux citrons! ils sont si beaux...
    L'artiste n'est pas toujours satisfait de ses oeuvres mais laissons la parole au public qui les admirent ...
    cath

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  11. Virginia, this painting is made a success, the magnificent lemons, it tempts to make a good tart for lemons! They are so beautiful...
    The artist is not still satisfied by his works but let us leave the words to the public who admire them..
    cath

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  12. Virginia, I love this one. Your lemons look fabulous and I know yellow can be difficult. The white bowl is contemporary and clean and that turquoise background is to die for. Add those all up and it makes for one elegant and beautiful painting. Congratulations!!

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  13. Oh, and I forgot to mention adorable pilgrims and Indians, your grandkids are going to have such good memories:)

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  14. Lovely still life Virginia...and I see that the grandkids have the creative bug too!

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  15. I like the bowl of lemons. I agree the Lemon on the table balances the composition.

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  16. Thanks for the visit and comment. You're a great blogging buddy!

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  17. How are you Virginia?it's been a long time and wow !what?you did 4paintings,the apples and this lemons are contrast and beautiful.
    your arrangement with ur grandkids are beauty to look.

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  18. Gorgeous! Nice balance to the composition, and the colors are beautiful! I can almost smell the lemons....

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  19. Love the bowl of lemons... and all your lovely comments, too. So sweet to hear what you have to say. Your lemons look delicious ! Keep 'em coming !

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  20. Love those lemons! ANd I like that you added the other one. What a wise little grand daughter you have. And your Thanksgiving project looks so fun. :)

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  21. Oh, I love the bowl of lemons! Sooo pretty! And inviting. And refreshing.

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  22. fabulous. Love doing stuff with the little kids. They're so into it.

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  23. very nice. Lemons and Sunflowers, i never tire of them. i like it.

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