Saturday, February 12, 2011

Wrapping up the Thomas Kitts workshop ....

As I was leaving the workshop and discussing what I should work on at home to improve, Thomas thought I needed to work on the transition between objects.  He could tell that I stalled when I got to those areas.  

The room we painted in really did not have the best lighting for us to work from, as you can see in the above photo.  We had light from the window as well as overhead florescent lights through out the room.



When I left the workshop the above painting is what I went home with.  I really was having trouble grasping the idea of blocking in my objects ...  ah ha.... finally I understood, but by then the workshop was over and time for me to be going home.  I have let the painting ... the blocked in piece ... set on my easel since the workshop day, wondering if I should just leave it alone (like Thomas suggested) or work to complete it.  Finally today I decided 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'.  An so below is my finished piece.   Now that I'm finished, of coarse, I can see that the folds in my cloth could be improve upon.  I think I've got the idea about the transition areas, though I still need to think about these areas.  I would like to have less detail in my work as I progress.  I could have less hard edges and I'd certainly like to paint in a looser style, but, for now, considering that was my first workshop/class I think I am pretty happy with this one. 

Finished painting from Thomas Jefferson Kitts one day workshop.




7 comments:

  1. well, Nancy, you should definitely consider this a success. Well done! I love the white flowers and the foreground fruit. Really lovely! (applause, applause!)

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  2. It's a success, after only one day workshop!congratulations!

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  3. Very nice painting, Nancy. A pleasing composition and a nice overall softness about it. Love how you handled the background. I think you did a great job in this workshop!

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  4. Thank you Celeste. I was always a little concerned about those flowers ... when in doubt, use a palette knife *grin, anyway I've used one before and it helped with my concern. Also, I wanted some soft edges and it worked out with that also. Not sure how I would have gotten more soft edges with all those grapes, but I'll figure it out.

    Sylviane, thank you so much for your comment. I'm a slow study and take gobs of notes. Forgetting the notes then hunting all over for where I put my notes... geesh. Again, thank you. I feel I for a 1 day workshop I got my moneys worth.

    Linda, thats so nice of you. You are an inspiration. Thomas mentioned that I was the only one to put in part of the window and he was pleased. Whew, I got on the teachers good side. LOL

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  5. Bravo Nancy! I admire that you came home and finished your painting. I would have sat on it longer, i.e. whenever I got the picture developed. I have not tried to paint from my computer screen, but I digress. I love the light to dark/warm to cool. I am not sure how much softer you want you grapes to be. I can see their weight and feel they work as they are. I am enjoying your progress :-)

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  6. Anonymous2:07 AM

    You did a good work Nancy. I love the white flowers and the soft edges of them with the grey and yellow background.
    It is not easy to paint a still life that was not self-installed.

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  7. Nancy, this is a wonderful example of what you can accomplish. Nice soft edges on the flowers and the grapes and apple appear translucent. I think your first workshop was a success.

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