My favorite parts of this painting are where I put the paint down and left it alone (like in the little white dish and teabag). I don’t know what comes over me at the end of a painting session when I start adjusting things that don’t need it. The spoon had been fabulous but after a “teensy” fix that wasn’t, and led to repainting, it lost it’s zing.
One of the many things I’ve learned from the Peggi Kroll-Roberts videos is to use a mirror to look at the painting to check for problems. You stand with your back to the painting and hold up the mirror as if to look at yourself. I’d heard of this technique before but didn’t really “get it” until now. Problems with values, perspective and unequal sides of an object really stand out when you see your work backwards in the mirror.
The teapot was my gift at my office’s “Silly Santa” gift exchange. Everyone brings one wrapped gift, we draw numbers and select from the pile in the order of the numbers drawn. You can pick a new gift or steal from someone who has already opened one. It’s always fun with much laughter and misbehavior.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
9 replies on “Christmas Teapot Still Life”
This is lovely, Jana – I don’t think your fiddling can have spoilt it at all. A very satisfying and cosy still life. I often find that taking a photo of a piece and viewing it on the screen throws up imbalances well too – of course you can also mirror-image that as well. Your method is quicker!
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Thanks Gillian, I also use that method of photographing a work in progress that has a problem and playing with it in photoshop to see if correcting the composition or changing the colors will solve the problem. But the mirror is really helpful for things like drawing problems that you can’t see from looking at it so much, and value problems. The mirror really makes them jump out. It’s like having a friend come and take a look with fresh eyes. Jana
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The cheerful red and yellow, as well as the radial composition, make this an appealing winner.
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You are really getting it – I love this. Can’t wait to receive my set of dvds.
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Hi Jana, I do like the white bowl with the tea bag. But, perhaps because I didn’t see the spoon before, I think it looks alright/fine to me. It’s a wonderful composition. Like the teapot!
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Thanks Peggy! Jana
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misbehavior? who would dare? 😉 I have a lovely spoon that my aunt gave me as a wedding — to remind me of the owl and the pussycat. You would love it… and no, it’s not going in the gift exchange.
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Hah! Thanks for the funny comment. Now I’ll have to go remind myself of the owl and pussycat story.
Jana
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