LESSON

This one of those works that one does for themselves. There is not way one can do this in a seminar. However I will try to explain about placement and color. first.

I have tried to stretch the design to fit the tray. There are 13 berries and some hidden in the background stems and design make a upside down J. The leaves marking the way I want my eye to follow.. the design and tray are much darker then they look and leaves are much darker when holding the tray.

I will say to capture any porcelain works in a photo are really not possible. Not with my work that is for sure. It is not the design or the subject matter that really matters to me anymore but what is going on behind them. I play with lights shadows and let these become part of my positive space. So what is going on here is the tray looks rather empty on the bottom in a photo however the shadows follow around to the bottom and there is a link there that attaches it to the tray.
Same thing on the right side. stems also plus leaves are for direction ..If you don't need the direction don't use them. It is not what you painting but what your not painting that can either break or make your piece.

COLORS USED

Leaves brown green and purple to come up with a soft gray shade of green. Then burgundy is added to warm the dark blackberry and tray. Same thing is used on edges of tray Blackberry are painted in with purple and black and then wiped out.

Then in another fire they are warmed with a bright crimson. Stems are brown green. The background is brown green mixed with imperial purple and imperial purple with black green. Washes of this color and breaking up of background takes many fires. Here also a touch of golden highlight is used.

Leaves and berries and design is washed over many times to put them into the background. my focus hopefully here on the cluster of berries and the bottom leaf and with the most light underneath them. The tray is very shiny and with a high glaze because of the many fires. I fire at 017 and the last fire at 018. I have played with color for years and unless you know what yours are doing your guessing at the outcome. test fire colors and combinations together. Learn your colors.

Since getting ill one great thing has taken place in my artistic eye. Since I cannot paint I look at all work in magazines and studies and old prints. I have looked at them for sometime. I now can truly say no matter the skill of the artist you can find beauty in the work. After all we are all seeing with a different eye.

I may think something is bad but when I look at the work I find there is a lesson in each piece that is good. Remember we are not here to paint alike. Each artist has a view of the holy mountain. Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Picasso, Jackson Pollock all saw the holy mountain in their own way. Each artist being totally different from the other.

I cannot say I don't like the work because each is representing his work as he wishes and it is up to us to enjoy it for what it is. That is the way to view the art work on porcelain. One who finds there way and sticks with it does not change their way but over the years one learns to refine their work. There is so many out there that have done so.

Youre an artist!!!!So paint like one and forget what the world around you says. If your happy in what your doing it is enough.

CONCLUSION

I hope this makes sense to you but with the high degree of poison in my system it is not only difficult to type but the thinking process suffers also. Hopefully you will understand.