Johnnie Liliedahl: Dolls and Roses

Paint Less - Say More!

The temptation to render everything in the painting equally is the downfall of many beginning painters. Choosing a center of interest implies that you are making some objects more important than others in the setup.

The roses in this arrangement are compelling and beautiful, but they are not the center of interest. I chose the dolls to be the focus of this composition, so the challenge is to paint the flowers with enough veracity that the viewer will understand what they are, but not to take attention away from the real subject, the dolls.

Sometimes the best paintings are defined by what is not painted, rather than by what is.