Outdoor Cafe

This is Lesson 2 of Pamela Allen's Think Like an Artist class. Similar to last week, the assignment is to create a still life, except this time we're to use two colors - either analogous or complementary - and try to avoid using the true color itself. I chose the colors by figuring out what's in my stash. I'm afraid like many quilters I have lots of "mediums" with very few lights or darks. Or mostly darks with a handful of lights/mediums. Or maybe the problem was that I knew I wanted to create this little courtyard scene and I should've done something different.

I'm hoping that once more of the details are added I'll like it more. In case you can't make it out, that's a wall fountain on the left (needs water added), with a lamppost behind the table. The wall around the fountain will be stone. The tablecloth has tulle on the bottom to delineate the table top from the part that hangs down, but didn't come out very well in the picture. Two cafe chairs (the wrought-iron swirly kind) will be added, along with espresso cups, maybe a plate of lemons, and some flowers.

The other thing that I'm just not comfortable with is free-hand cutting. I like my nice hard lines. I know that from a distance no one is going to be able to notice, but I think in order to continue working on the piece I need to refine the shapes a bit.

Should I just ditch it and start again or continue on? Lesson 3 will be here in a day or two ...