In fact we have floating bananas in the quick sketch. I took a little more time with the second one.i like the bananas and the plate but not crazy about the shadows.I painted both from life. I’m just not getting the shadow thing tho. I guess I’m painting the edges of the shadow too hard, but shadows do have hard edges, don’t they?
Here’s another still life from life. I like the second one, but there’s not enough contrast between the shadow of the bowl and the plate. but the lime turned out well imo. Maybe I’ll do one more version of this on better paper. And that will be a wrap for 2023! Happy new year!
I like the last two. Shearwaterish and swirley. Like the irregular lines of handmade pottery.
ReplyDeleteI kinda like the top bananas. Shadows do have a hard edge depending on the light source. It’s weird the way they float above the plate. It’s like two separate objects. I particularly like the colors and feel of the last one. The shadows of the lemon/lime are on the money.
ReplyDeleteThere are things I like about each painting, but my favorite is the last. The colors are fantastic; the shadows are perfect with both hard and soft edges--simple and lovely. There's something intentional about the floating bananas that reminds me of Magritte or Dali. It just makes me look twice and smile! On the second banana painting, I like the bananas, the shadows, the plate and the way everything is just slightly off square. The third painting looks like the first wash of the final painting--just needed values and crispening up of the edges to get to the final. Thanks for the reminder of how wonderful simple still life paintings can be.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what is going on with the top bananas, too blurry. I like the bottom ones a lot better, but not the shadows, too elongated. Couldn't you make them smaller and darker like in the last painting? Aren't we here to improve on the real world, or what it looks like anyway? I don't think the limes are pulling their weight in the first paining, but I like the swirly vibe. The limes in the last painting are pulling their weight with their handsome crisp shadows. But what steals the show for me are those vague soft shadows in the upper right. I'm guessing cast from lime trees outside the window. Just a nice play of light.
ReplyDeleteI luv a good still life. And yours are good studies. The top bananas work, floating or not. Maybe the background brown could be varied a bit to not blend in so easily with the banana on top. Otherwise, the spotted bananas, shadows, the plate and table all look good. The second banana painting, not so much. Although the spots are nicely done. Everything else seems washed out and the symmetry is not as interesting. This first of the citrus is a good start, but the final one is magnificent. Everything about it: composition, color, value, brush strokes. It couldn't get any better.
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