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Black Vase and Red Roses by Pauline Dickerson
Critique Corner
© Pauline Dickerson 2002, 18 x 26", water-based oils

From the Artist: I've used the new waterbased oils. I wanted to see if they could achieve the same richness and depth of traditional oils. This was an experiment in still life. The actual painting has a much softer tone to it. Any comments would be appreciated.

You're invited to share your comments on this work in the Painting Forum.

From the Painting Guide: Of course it's impossible to tell from a scanned picture that you've used waterbased oils ... I'd be very interested to know how you've found them and how they compare to traditional oils.

Things to consider:
Composition: Although the right-hand side of the painting is empty, the movement in the drapery balances this. Unless the light source is extremely close to the subject, there seems to be more than one: compare the highlight on the vase to the direction of the shadow on the roses. The shading on the drapery doesn't match the lighting from the front on the still life, which subconsciously interferes with the serenity of the picture.
Detail: Whereas the roses are well defined, the flowers in the vase (gypsophila/baby's-breath?) are almost Impressionistic, which is a bit disconcerting.


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