From the Artist: I've been at it for a couple years now. Lately I've wanted to get smoother and it's working. But perhaps it's also looking a little boring. Any suggestions on maximizing the impact more? Oh yes, and I am also having difficulty with glare. My next trial will be with adding a little wax to my medium. If any one has experience I would be very happy to hear about it.
From the Painting Guide: This is a lovely, classic and serene still life. If you think it's looking boring, you could increase the impact with the way you've set up the still life, rather than changing the smoothness of your brush strokes. You could change the surrounding textures so you have a reflective surface or object, or have a more reflective glaze on the pottery, or have a reflection in the steel of the knife itself.
Ask yourself: "Would I like to eat these pears?" What could make them more appealing? Maybe a few drops of water showing they were newly washed or newly picked and still covered in early morning dew. Or slice one open or start peeling it – why else is the knife there?
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Why add Wax? : Adding wax to oil paint said to to reduce yellowing and improve the stability of colors. One source I found said adding two per cent wax (made as a paste with turps) was generally recommended but that five per cent wax melted directly into the oil was more effective. Do let us know what you find.
From the Painting Guide: This is a lovely, classic and serene still life. If you think it's looking boring, you could increase the impact with the way you've set up the still life, rather than changing the smoothness of your brush strokes. You could change the surrounding textures so you have a reflective surface or object, or have a more reflective glaze on the pottery, or have a reflection in the steel of the knife itself.
Ask yourself: "Would I like to eat these pears?" What could make them more appealing? Maybe a few drops of water showing they were newly washed or newly picked and still covered in early morning dew. Or slice one open or start peeling it – why else is the knife there?
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Why add Wax? : Adding wax to oil paint said to to reduce yellowing and improve the stability of colors. One source I found said adding two per cent wax (made as a paste with turps) was generally recommended but that five per cent wax melted directly into the oil was more effective. Do let us know what you find.