What to do?

Tom Edgerton · 11-30-2004, 01:37 PM

Not completely a composition question, but...

I have a painting underway that includes an antique Chinese blue/white vase with glads. The vase is not factory produced--it may have been turned or formed by hand-- and thus when fired, it's a bit wobbly. Not perfect, but not misshapen either. The rim is slightly out of alignment with the base elliptically, and the sides are not perfect mirror images of each other. But the design is a very symmetrical classic shape.

Do I paint it as is, and risk being taken for an artist who doesn't quite get their perspective down, or do I clean it up?

What would YOU do?

Thanks in advance--TE

Marvin Mattelson · 11-30-2004, 02:02 PM

I would correct the ellipses and keep the rest the way it is. Unless this is the most important part of the painting I would keep the design, for lack of a better term, more impressionistic.

Mike McCarty · 11-30-2004, 02:10 PM

I would say that if the vase is enough out of whack, and there are other aspects of the painting which will give indication of your accurate draftsmanship, then I would paint it as is.

On the other hand, If the painting creates any doubt in the viewers mind as to your skills, then I would clean it up. You can't hang a tag on it explaining -- it really was out of line, I just painted what I saw.

I think if it were me I would err on the side of cleaning it up.

Tom Edgerton · 11-30-2004, 04:50 PM

Thanks, guys--TE

Carlos Ygoa · 11-30-2004, 06:31 PM

Tom,

I've seen your website. I don't think anyone else who has would ever even have the thought cross their minds that you are an artist who just couldn't get their perspectives right. Not a possibility at all.

I've used sangria jars as elements in paintings and have always painted them just the way they are: with the "distortions " along the rim and all. People have questioned them and I have responded (when I had the chance). If everything else in the painting is "right", people will always use their judgement and deduce that the object in question must have looked that way.

C.

Tom Edgerton · 11-30-2004, 07:28 PM

Carlos--

Thanks a lot for these words.

Normally I'd try to paint it warts and all, but it's sitting on a round table, which is going to be a bear to get right. I'm afraid the comparison of the "correct" (I hope) perspective of the table with a distorted vase will be too much for the viewer to process.

Best--TE

Kimberly Dow · 11-30-2004, 08:09 PM

I had one just like this. After painting it the way it was it started bugging me and drawing my eye to it - so I eventually straightened it out. If that helps...

Timothy C. Tyler · 02-24-2005, 11:06 PM

They will blame the painter for any flaws every time, you've gotta fix it.

Your story reminds me of what happened in my studio today. I had a young lady in and I wanted her to lean on a tabletop I had set-up. I told her;"take care, this is not too stable". She said;"oh, that's okay, I'm not either."