It's All Over But The Shoutin'

Yellow Rose Study 3, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, Click to Bid

With this study I wanted to explore a warmer and more intense background and foreground with the yellow roses. I really love the pop on this small study. However....

'Is it appropriate for the gallery piece I have in mind?' is the question at hand. I sends a completely different message than the previous two. It feels a little louder, bolder. And of course with the dark background it feels a little more mysterious to me. 

And that's my reason for doing these little pieces. Sure, instant gratification (well, some more instant than others) and hopefully a little pocket change to pad my art supply account but by and large I find it immensely helpful to work out these questions on small studies than to discover issues and make changes on larger, more complex pieces. Changing an entire background color after it's in (or even partially in) is ridiculously frustrating- voice of experience. I like a challenge, but when the scale tips to frustration it starts to show in the piece and then it's all over but the shoutin'.