Please critique this ET

[Jean]

http://www.eggtempera.com/forumimages/jm.jpg

This image is 21in x 11in. I know it isn't lined up properly, but it should surfice for a critique. I would appreciate your suggestions.
Thank you,
Jean

[Jane]

Hi Jean
Your painting is lively! I love the peaches and the flowers, they are beautiful, and they look as though they belong together. The background and vases almost work for me, the colours and tone are lovely, but they don't quite match the quality of the fruit and flowers (for me). I wish we could see more detail.

[Jean]

Jane, I appreciate your comments. I also think the background is the main problem. But, I'm not sure how to solve it. I'm sorry more detail cannot be brought up.
Jean

[RobM]

Jean,
You have mentioned the back ground. It is too fussy with those vertical lines. You would have been better with a non descript almost semi abstract background that didn't really grab your attention, perhaps quite a bit darker than the darkest bit in the foreground to throw the subject matter forward with maybe a few subtle tonal changes. At the moment the foreground and background seem to merge into one plain.
Rob

[Alessandra Kelley]

I personally would darken the background. The flowers and fruit are gorgeous and are fine as they are. The way I would do it would be with transparent colors, gently glazed with a nearly dry brush around the flowers and table (I cut pieces of card and use them as "friskets" to paint right up to the edge without going over). I find a varying mix of ultramarine blue and burnt siena gives a lovely neutral grey which can be easily tipped towards the warm or cool. This way you can put on subtle layers and see how much is enough. It may be that only a slight darkening of the background is necessary, and maybe not even the entire background.

This is a suggestion. Otherwise, the painting is beautiful.

[Jean]

Alessandra and Rob, I appreciate your insightful critiques. Very helpful.

[robinj]

Two-thirds of the painting from the top down work well I thought, the background is in harmony with the flowers, the base of the painting with the grids and the fruit is in strong contrast however and loses the strength of unity brought together in the above. To me the lines of the background strengthen the organic nature of the flowers with the similar subtlety of the colours. :grin:

[JeanM]

Robinj, thanks for your comments. I think you are telling me that the pots and peaches are not in harmony with the upper part of the painting. Am I interpreting correctly?

[Dimitris C. Milionis]

you have light all around and thats great as an idea and it works great with the white vases, blur the detail slightly and lower the lights in the backgound, this will incease the contrast and increase the mood, some think that still life is easy; well its not!

late note, but I'm in the mood today!