Originally Posted by
Geoffish
Thanks for the reply.....
It seems quite difficult to get any real critique in the community.
I am really just thrashing about in the dark..... maybe an art course is the best idea?
I've been giving lengthy critiques here since 2006 (for free). You're late. Hahaha.
I think the pros don't want to be publicly criticized because it hurts business since these posts remain up for years. And the people who are learning hit a frustration level when criticized incessantly, especially when they have hit a personal best and still get critiqued. So it's not so easy giving them.
Things have slowed a lot. Besides that I don't think people tend to be critical. The ones who have stayed here are just having fun and don't perhaps feel they are on solid enough ground to do the critiquing other than "Say, that's great!" Like the old saying, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. And some people just don't like to hear anything but how wonderful they are. So look at the world and you'll see how people may not want to critique. Sometimes I wonder if I've driven off more people than I've helped. But I don't much care. Hahaha. I could go crazy worrying about that crap.
I don't know what you're capable of so I don't know how to give advice to you. Yes, you should take a class. Yes, you should develop your eye. Yes, one's skills develop over time as does their awareness of how to make something look good. It's a journey my friend. Enjoy it.
As to this painting, you could perhaps try different compositions and poses out. This one is good. But you may find that how you stage your picture matters a lot, especially in a vignette. Think of it like acting. Do you want us to be observing the frog from the outside, or do you want us to be the frog, ie looking through it's eyes or over the shoulder? Is the laptop the main thing, is the frog the main thing? Are you creating a logo? When you shift the relative scale between the frog and the laptop, how does that impact the effect?
You're sorta keeping the relative scale realistic. I think it could be strengthened by having the frog big and the laptop tiny. Would make a stronger statement and certainly improve the composition. It's all a matter of whether that suits what you want to do.
As to the painting issues, the green on green is sort of getting lost in itself and thus the forms are unclear except for the outside shape. You may want to play with your values more and extend the range of your greens to include highlights and shadow in addition to the base green. You can also add some detail in the skin in places.
These are all ideas only. A painting can be done in an infinite number of variations all of which are open for discussion. Art is a judgement call. There are no rules except satisfying the client (which could be yourself). If it was fun to do, you're on your way. And you will pick stuff up as you go and as you try things out. And as you go you will adopt some tricks that you will always use and some that you will never or rarely use. But that will be based on how you like it and how it suits your methods and tastes.
Have fun with it. And I would strongly recommend looking at the internet a lot to see how other people solve the problems you're facing and learn from what you see that rings your bell.
Last edited by D Akey; 11-26-2015 at 02:35 AM.
"Not a bit is wasted and the best is yet to come. . ." -- remembered from a dream
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