Here's today's in-progress piece; I detoured from the mouse project to work on one of the fruit studies. Actually, it's unlikely I'll do anything more to this painting, but I won't be taking the final image (with the correct color balance!) and offering it up for sale until it's dried and varnished.
I'm a big believer that as a painter one's reach should exceed one's grasp, and I always feel good when I can attempt something that I know is just outside my capabilities. Here's a case in point. I've always been a little intimidated by painting cloth, especially silk, and especially embroidered silk. The complexities of the folds, shadows, and highlights can get mind-boggling.
While this particular piece of cloth is not as complex as it could have been, I did challenge myself to capture as much of the actual feel of the silk as possible. To me, the yardstick for painting cloth is the tour-de-force work of Gerard ter Borch, and of course by that measure I fall far short.
But it's fun to keep trying...
8 comments:
The Dutch did everything the best! I can't think of an art period that was more inspirational than seventeenth century Holland.
It's great! The first thing I saw was the cloth, it's a beautiful color and you captured it just perfectly. I also love the reflection on the bottom of the fruit.
You did a great job on the cloth. I bet you could achieve a lot more than you think!
I have a simple but maybe silly question: Do you create larger paintings? When thinking about what I would like on my walls, I admit I myself would want something big. Imagining your work on that scale is very exciting! Can you elaborate on the size issue? (uh oh, I can just hear it now...bigger/better jokes!)
....well done!
Perfect fruit to be presented so beautifully ;0)
Thank you all!
Sally: I have not painted larger-format works in a while, but that is not to say I never will in the future.
Love the fabric, Jeff!! This is one of my major bugaboos too -- very intimidating subject -- I think you've done a superb job on it.
This is gorgeous! The satin sheen of the table cloth is amazingly beautiful!
Love your paintings!
Thanks Chris & Sadia!
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