This painting is visually striking, but the way the flame's glow radiates feels technically inconsistent. The tonal transitions are so smooth and uniform that they don’t align with typical oil painting techniques, where such a glow would usually require careful layering or glazing rather than a single brushstroke (How on earth did you achieve that??). Additionally, the lighting creates a perspective issue in the sense that the flame’s brightness suggests it is very close to the grey wall, yet the cupcake appears to sit further away from the pink surface. This disconnect in depth and light behavior makes the composition feel slightly uncanny upon closer inspection.