Sunday, August 21, 2011

Stacked Mugs II


8 inch X 8 inch oil on canvas panel

Sometime I have the hardest time getting started.  So I toned some new panels with burnt sienna.  Then I looked at some of my old painting efforts.  I decided that I would work on an anemic little painting that I did here.   I moved the horizon line and added a vertical panel.  I also added some color.  I think this is a better composition.

I read lots of other people's blogs.  Yesterday I read an art hint that really intrigued me.  I'd love to give an attribution, but I can't remember where I read it or on whose blog!  If I find it again, I'll let you know.

Anyway, she said that too many people don't stand back from the painting and look at it from a distance.  She said she puts her palette about six feet away from her easel, which forces her to step back constantly and look at the painting from a distance.  Tomorrow I'm going to try that.  I'll let you know what I think after I've tried it.

Today my husband and I are going to Helotes TX  to an Art Fair.  Thank goodness it's supposed to be indoors.  I hope it's air conditioned.   Our temperatures are going to over 100 again today.


14 comments:

  1. I like what you did to it. You unified the colors and somehow the brown looks like a door to me, which gives the cups a huge surreal presence.
    I feel sorry for you with the temperatures you've been having day after day after day! Here in Seattle we hit this summer's high of 85! Plenty hot enough for me, but it made for a lovely evening with friends out on the deck.
    Hope you enjoyed the art show!

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  2. I like the vertical lines. I to like the idea you mentioned. I must try it

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  3. I like your design, Virginia. Two strong straight lines anchor all the curves and leaning stack.

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  4. Looking at a work from a distance is an excellent way to check and see if the main idea reads correctly...it's a good tip. I like the pottery surface of the cups here and the neutrals play off each other well...nice job

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  5. This is a wonderful painting, Virginia. The colors are more outstanding..and the shading as well. I was always told to step back as well, and it does work. I see a lot of my mistakes by taking digital shots when I "think" I'm finished..then I go back and fix it. I hope you had a great time at the art show!

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  6. Hi, Layne. Thanks for the comment. It's interesting to see what other people think when they look at a painting.

    Thanks, Angela and Karen. I thought the painting needed something to help the composition.

    Mary and Hilda, I appreciate your stopping by. I'm going to try stepping back on my next painting. I have a set up and a drawing, but may not get much done today.

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  7. I like this composition- Like the changes you make. It is fun to see what others find may work for them! I always like to step way back because I feel it helps me see the whole painting. I can compare one part to another better for values, etc.

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  8. I like the changes you made Virginia, especially that vertical panel you added. I like how it seems to be teasing those cups with it's pure straightness to just topple over already!

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  9. Nice work on those cups! They really look like they are going to slide off eachother!!

    Janice Warriner
    oilsbyjanice.blogspot.com

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  10. nice work on the "revision"! Your blogger friend's method of placing the palette far away is really different... It reminds me of the story about Whistler (yes, the one who painted his mother). Apparently he used to walk a long distance from the painting and then RUN up to it wielding his brush like a sword! haha (his work looks too controlled for that description..but maybe we didn't get to see the results of the "running-up-to-the painting-paintings").

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  11. Really like the composition in this one!! Your lights and shadows are very good! I agree you have to stand back, squint a lot and I even hold my paintings up in front of a mirror and look at them upside down to make sure I have my lines correct. Have fun at the art fair, they are always inspirational:)

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  12. Thank you Virginia for your sweet comments! I admire you and my sis for sticking to the painting a day:D I am so ADD that I can't stick to one thing very long....LOL!

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  13. Bonjour ma chère Virginia,
    J'aime la manière que vos tasses ont de faire cette sorte de "courte-échelle"!
    Mon regard les suivent agréablement dans cette belle harmonie de couleurs... Comme une sorte d'invitation...
    Un très beau contraste qui donne vie à vos tasses.
    Merci pour votre gentil commentaire.
    Je reviendrai vous visiter dès que possible, à la mi-septembre, date de mon retour... Avant, si je peux me connecter...
    Gros bisous

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