You are not seeing double at all. It's just me. After the last post I put the painting on the counter where I do much of my work. I find "living with" a painting for a period of time allows you to look at it more objectively. Something bothered me about the painting, and I had to let it simmer in my head for awhile. It finally came to me that there was too abrubt a change in values between the lemon on the right and the shadow on the table. Consequently, I darkened the lower part of the lemon to more gradually blend in with the shadow. I also modified the values on both lemons to create a rounder appearance. I think this change helped the appearance of the lemons. We live and learn.
It's a wonderful lemon painting! I've always found painting them to be a challenge...getting the values right and making them feel round. Is it because yellow is so light that it's difficult? A bit of what we know (the light yellow) vs. what we see (much darker in the shadow)? Your thoughts and changes make sense. I'll have to try again. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments, Pam. I think yellow objects are often difficult to paint because of the value changes - particularly the darker values. Trying to come up with a dark yellow hue that doesn't look muddy is a challenge. Yellow ochre, raw sienna, browns and even into the oranges - they're interesting to play with.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good case for our editing and adjusting. Beautiful values here.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, Suzanne, it takes me a few days to distance myself from the painting so I can better see it objectively. Thank you for writing.
ReplyDeleteYou are smart to sort of set the painting aside and mull things over:) Great results too and I see what you mean about the sets of shadows.
ReplyDeleteI tried not to fiddle with it too much, but I think the form of the lemons in the reworked painting has more depth. Glad to have you back, Libby. Your vacation spot looks beautiful!!
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