30 March 2011

Let there be light

12 x 9 inches, oil on Gatorfoam panel
SOLD

I thought I'd try another candle but fill the background in this time to give it a darker feel. I think that I need a lot of time working with this kind of subject to get it the way I really want it to look. If any of you know Joseph Wright of Derby's candle/fire paintings you'll know what I mean ;-)
I had loads of fun painting the very bottom of the candlestick but the background was a nervy time for me and I kept putting it off (so I left it until the very last ;-).

I did something I don't usually do with this one too: I cropped the books. I wanted to do this one in portrait aspect and not landscape so that the candle would be bigger and if I had included all the books the candle would have been too small and insignificant.

8 comments:

  1. April Jarocka31 March 2011 at 00:20

    I can understand why you put off the background but you executed it very well in the end. I am interested to know how many layers of colour it took if more than one? I have the same concerns for a painting of cupcakes I am trying at the moment.

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  2. Pierre Raby31 March 2011 at 05:31

    Hi Paul, hope you are doing well! Love the way you cropped the books and also the subtle movement of the flame which give strenght to the composition.

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  3. jesusest@gmail.com31 March 2011 at 07:07

    Good painting Paul, The way I see it, is that if you make the background darker, you will bring the candle and the books forward, at the moment you have treat the background almost with the same values as the foreground, may be this was your intention, it works any way, but it is not as dramatic as it could be.

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  4. Cheryl Ruffing31 March 2011 at 18:31

    I loved your last candle-and-book painting, but this one is even better.

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  5. Cheryl Ruffing5 April 2011 at 07:00

    Paul, your re-designed website looks great.

    I just came across your comment on my Mostly Commonplace blog. I added "Count Belasarius" to my Amazon wishlist.

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  6. Unknown25 April 2011 at 13:42

    Another amazing piece. Very inspiring!

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  7. Gary Keimig11 May 2011 at 20:44

    excellent work Paul. Not knowing what you had in mind I am impressed with it and the background rendered

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  8. Helen Read18 May 2011 at 13:44

    wow, Paul! This is just wonderful!

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