Linda Mann Artist

I have three versions of this patterned vase, all different shapes and sizes, two of which I’ve painted before. I loved working with the bright colors, so I thought I’d give this one a go. I’ve also been wanting to paint another Noguchi Lamp. I got this one for myself as a Christmas gift last year. I had an idea that they might work together. I put them on my set-up table and turned on my spotlight on the right. I also turned on the Noguchi lamp. It has a very small lightbulb, but it casts an interesting secondary light. I studied them together and decided that I’d like to add something to tie them together. I looked through my scarves and found this one, which seemed perfect. The colored triangles picked up the colored triangle in the vase. Seeing them all together made me realize that the reason I liked the Noguchi lamp with the vase is that are both composed of triangles. Now I have a triangle theme going on! To add some small detail, I added the two necklaces. I like how I can use the chains to direct the eye. Not coincidentally, they both have triangular elements.

I wasn’t happy with the plain background. Below, I added the blue panel to frame the subject and add some more color to bring out the colors in the vase and scarf. I wanted to bring the color up into the middle right side of the composition, so I re-arranged the scarf

I didn’t like that the large necklace was pointing straight down, so I added the purple crystal and draped the necklace over it. You can see this below. This placement helped to unite the vase and lamp and added an interesting curve. I added the yellow crystal on the left. It provides a pleasing echo of the purple one but is of a different size and color. This gives me repetition and variety- always an effective strategy. I flipped over the other pendent to clarify the shape, and show its triangular shape. Finally, I thought that the scarf might be leading the eye downwards, out of the composition, so I tried folding up one of its bottom edges.

I still wasn’t happy with the scarf, so I tried folding up the other side instead. You can see this below. I liked this better because it interfered less with the vase. In the other position, I thought that it was competing. Finally, I moved the lamp cord into a more pleasing position. The new angle echoes some of the angles in the lamp and looks more harmonious.

This is the final version. The next step is the drawing.