From the Artist: I tried several different fruit compositions before finally deciding on this one. I was going for analogous colors but my son said it is too blue, maybe I should have put more green or purple in the background. Also, I think the shadow is a bit dark.
From the Painting Guide: I like the composition, the choice of different elements with their different textures and colors (which works well for an analogous range of purple/blue/green), and the positioning of these to lead your eye around the painting. In terms of it being too blue, I'm not sure I agree. If someone didn't know that you'd intended to use analogous colors, would this thought occur to them? If you do think it is, I'd be tempted to add some purple to the shadow areas and glaze a little yellow to the lightest to move the blue slightly towards green.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Shadow: I agree, the cast shadow is too dark given the tones in the rest of the painting. I think I'd lighten it, rather than darken any of the other parts of the painting, and also give it a bit of a softer edge, given that it's a glass that's throwing some of the shadow. Also, I wonder if it would be thrown up that high against the background?
The Glass: I'd create a sense of shadow under the base of the glass. At the moment it's floating a bit for me. Also look again at the shadow the pear throws on the glass -- is there truly such a bright line around the whole base of the glass? And at the grapes -- I'd expect a little distortion in their shape as you see them above and through the glass, but the grape on the left seems to continue without any distortion. (See Painting Glass: Distortion.)
From the Painting Guide: I like the composition, the choice of different elements with their different textures and colors (which works well for an analogous range of purple/blue/green), and the positioning of these to lead your eye around the painting. In terms of it being too blue, I'm not sure I agree. If someone didn't know that you'd intended to use analogous colors, would this thought occur to them? If you do think it is, I'd be tempted to add some purple to the shadow areas and glaze a little yellow to the lightest to move the blue slightly towards green.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Shadow: I agree, the cast shadow is too dark given the tones in the rest of the painting. I think I'd lighten it, rather than darken any of the other parts of the painting, and also give it a bit of a softer edge, given that it's a glass that's throwing some of the shadow. Also, I wonder if it would be thrown up that high against the background?
The Glass: I'd create a sense of shadow under the base of the glass. At the moment it's floating a bit for me. Also look again at the shadow the pear throws on the glass -- is there truly such a bright line around the whole base of the glass? And at the grapes -- I'd expect a little distortion in their shape as you see them above and through the glass, but the grape on the left seems to continue without any distortion. (See Painting Glass: Distortion.)