Black Vase and Fruit 18 x 18 Oil On Panel

A few weeks ago I purchased a new lighting system to help me take photographs of my paintings indoors. The lighting system is from Victor-Smith and I got it through Amazon.  It comes with to lights with stands, 2 umbrellas and 2 strong light bulbs.  The price was around $130 so I figured that was a good price for all of that.  In fact I will be able to use the light stands when I am painting, but I will change the bulbs.  In case you order this set order extra bulbs.  One blew out after 20 minutes.  So far its going okay.  Hopefully with practice I can get a clear picture.  Time will tell.  The next purchase will probably be Photoshop Elements and maybe a new camera.
Now onto the painting this is a follow- up on the Black Vase with Cantaloupe.  I wanted to try and paint the vase again using the same painting technique as I used before along with the fruit. After seeing the Dutch Paintings From The Mauritshuis at the High Museum I just had to paint more grapes.  The exhibit is a fantastic traveling show and well worth the time to check it out.  There were a  few Rembrandt's with the wonderful brushstrokes and chiaroscuro, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer, and two paintings I remembered being tested on in Art History by Frans Hals.  It was a great privilege to see this show.  There were still life's, landscapes and genre paintings.  I do think though my grapes are better then ones in the show, ( lol, I just had to say that).  Thanks to David A. Leffel I really learned how to paint grapes.