[MBTI General] Seeking some criticism for artwork

[Space Socks]

I'm a communications artist and I have a lot of work (in my opinion) that has a lot of technical professionalism to it, but I feel still lacks some... soul. I'm cleaning up my work to make a site for it all and will even be making t-shirts and prints this summer.

There's room for improvement. I wanted to make this thread in hopes of it being more of a serious look at each others work for improving something that is already good.

We know it's good, but how do we make it better?
Does it need to be improved?

I just want to hear what you guys think and if there are any suggestions as to where my body of work could really thrive well in.


I invite you to share some of your own

I generally work in more traditional mediums(paint, ink, paper, canvas) but photography,digital, sculpture and 3d modeling are welcomed too.

 

[AgentF]

what a great idea!

1 - really nice detail. it's a piece i'd like to see in person to study more closely. the vegetation is supernormal and i really love that.

2 - stunning lines. you captured the light quite beautifully.

3 - what you did is hard to do, as this sketch demonstrates that you understand the human form and its movement as well. is this a study for a piece you have in mind? (my eye is drawn to the figure reaching out for the female falling...if that was your intention you have a lot of room to play with on that dominant figure. i likes.)

i'm working on a 16'x16 painting right now and have finished a preliminary sketch. it's a portrait. i'll put it up for your feedback! (i'm not a trained artist but have a background in industrial design/architecture/software/UXD...so i think about form a great deal.)

yay for a cool new thread!

p.s. in general i find it challenging to offer someone critique without knowing more about the piece, the artists's goals for it and even a bit about the artist. but that's just me, i like context so i know how to direct my feedback...

 

[SD45T-2]

I don't understand the first one, but it looks impressive. Is it some sort of ice formation? I don't quite understand the second one either, but it's pretty. The third one could use some explosions.

I'm not very good at this, am I?

 

[Space Socks]

The first one is a favorite. It was done in pen. It's only 5"x 8" and has a different mood than my other pieces. I tend to focus more on a subject, but this is more scene like.
The lighting in the second was a challenge to do, but watercolors are rather permitting if done with enough patience.

Third piece is a draft at this point I love the idea of having a dominant figure among the others, might draw an interesting focal point if I made the surrounding figures more ambiguous.
I'm lucky in terms of working with figures because I have a strong sense of human anatomy and bringing that out even in fictional characters, that's why I'm thinking my strong areas involve figures because I have room to add emotion by already using a subject that we can already relate to.

We don't often get feedback on something in progress so changes are more difficult when we stop and have it critiqued at a more finished stage.
I know that in person, a piece of work looks more appealing up close, so we get "lost" in the details sometimes... I thought that maybe here all work will be viewed from a macro view, in the same way the opinions without prior knowledge of background on any work and even the artist will influence the context we might use as a point of reference.

I'm interested in your most honest opinion of what you think of it on the surface, in the same way you would see some random artwork in some coffee shop and were asked what you thought of it objectively.

Even with an unfinished piece, a strong basis or ground can give an idea of what the potential result(quality) might be.
But the surprises of changes or twists are interesting to see in an in progress work too


I'd like to see how this portrait is going. I haven't gotten into the practice of doing portraits myself, but I feel it would really add to the quality of my work.

 

[Space Socks]

I don't understand the first one, but it looks impressive. Is it some sort of ice formation? I don't quite understand the second one either, but it's pretty. The third one could use some explosions.

I'm not very good at this, am I?

The first one is supposed to be a formation of sorts, a more ambiguous piece but still reflecting some transition and gap between calm and destructive/jagged side.

Second one is part of a series of a futuristic city now in a icy, skeletal aftermath. Needs more fog I think in the background.

Third is an idea I want to expand on, because the context of it seems to want to be something more dynamic or energetic, but it's currently too flat to deliver that successfully.


You don't have to be good at telling us what you do or don't like. Various opinions help identify strengths and weaknesses that stick out even from non artists.

 

[Eilonwy]

First, great work! You are very talented.

1. I love the detail in this piece. I like that you have the big area of "white space" to the right, where nothing much is happening. However, something about the boat in the lower righthand corner bothers me. Somehow it puts the piece off-balance for me. It either needs a little more detail added to it so that it blends in better with the whole piece or it needs to be gone. I think it is conflicting with the big, detailed area in that my eye doesn't know where to go--to the big detailed area or to that little boat.

2. I like this one. I got the post-apocalyptic feel of it right away. Good use of color--makes it look bleak and abandoned. When you say that it needs more fog in the background, what effect would that have? Would it add more perspective so that those things in the background looked more distant? If so, that might add to what you have, though I think it's good the way it is.

3. Great use of form and fluidity! My first thought was "comic book art". I actually like the flatness and unfinished look of it, but am looking forward to seeing where you go with it. Both the second and third figures from the right draw my eye, so either might be a good focal point/dominant figure. I like your use of white space and of movement.

 

[Fleeting]

It looks pretty good. Definitely above average. A nice grasp of composition.

I'd recommend people-watching/sketching. Life drawing. You want to get a real feel for dynamic movement. Also, some anatomical studies may prove beneficial. You've got a great handle on details, and clean work, but some of the parts seem a bit static, and look flat. You'll add dimension by understanding more about the human body.

 

[SD45T-2]

Second one is part of a series of a futuristic city now in a icy, skeletal aftermath. Needs more fog I think in the background.

I was thinking nuclear winter.

Third is an idea I want to expand on, because the context of it seems to want to be something more dynamic or energetic, but it's currently too flat to deliver that successfully.

That's why I suggested explosions.

Are you familiar with Bill Peet? His were some of the books that I made my parents read to me again and again when I was litte. I loved his artwork.

 

[Space Socks]

more recent work from the sketch books. Some of the ideas are based on changes and risks.





there are others and I post some paintings later as I'm trying to figure out which direction I should go with in terms of mediums used.

 

[Stanton Moore]

I think your art is really, really wonderful. You should never stop making it, because you'll just get better and better and better.

 

[Space Socks]

[MENTION=6466]nebbykoo[/MENTION], Thank you!

I know I'll get better with practice, but the thing I know I'll always struggle with is making something that feels complete(projects outside of sketchbooks) I want to take it to a different level, perhaps completing some of the concepts as they all tend to feel like drafts.

I'm also interested is seeing some of the members artwork, where it be digital, sculpture, print etc.
That was the original intent of this critique thread...

I will also add that descriptions are not necessary for the works, I'm more interested in what is judged at face value in the same way you would just walk into a gallery not knowing anything about the artwork or artist.

 

[Stanton Moore]

I think 'wanting to create something that feels complete' is a problem for many artists, including musicians and writers...everyone. I think wanting that is wanting to have an outside, objective perspective that can't exist since you are the creator, not the critic. You can't see your own work that way. So you (I too) may always feel dissatisfied about that. the best thing is to follow your instincts and not judge anything as good or bad for as long as you can hold out. It sounds cliche, but the experience of doing contains the emotion of it, which is where it lives anyway.

 

[Space Socks]

I think 'wanting to create something that feels complete' is a problem for many artists, including musicians and writers...everyone. I think wanting that is wanting to have an outside, objective perspective that can't exist since you are the creator, not the critic. You can't see your own work that way. So you (I too) may always feel dissatisfied about that. the best thing is to follow your instincts and not judge anything as good or bad for as long as you can hold out. It sounds cliche, but the experience of doing contains the emotion of it, which is where it lives anyway.

That is true, and I know that it's a bit cliche to say it but I think there is a need for having at least something that I can be completely satisfied with so that it becomes a motivation to continue. A history of works and having phases (be it style or concept) that lead up to at least one specific 'master piece' in my experience is a reminder of potential. All artists have phases and I guess I'm trying to find a new one to start on by figuring out what it is I have now that will be a strong ground for it. Part of my issue may also be not enough exposure, so I don't really leave myself much room for criticism and interest, but I am working up on a website soon so hopefully that'll help.

 

[Space Socks]

more work from the past year?

more complete work from recent projects, scientific illustration proving to be my productive course