This class involves learning the complexities of painting directly from life. Dual emphasis on exploration paint and surface, as well as the figure will be developed. This course will cover the history and appreciation of contemporary painting and will cover a wide range of painting techniques. Students will work up to developing their own personal style within the confines of academic figurative art.
The lack of identity really makes the viewer question things and I believe it was a good choice to leave it out. The use of colors compliments the body well and making it the main focus your eye is drawn to.
I think that the flesh tone is done well and you can see the warm in the highlights. The figure is lost in the head and I feel like that works just fine. There is enough going on in the painting that I feel one could do without the head.
My opinions and critique of this piece did not change from in class to online. I think the narrative of this piece is very fun; the colours are bright and vibrant and happy. True, the subject is a woman's naked body--something that is so, so often sexualised for someone else's gaze-- but the pose and colours are done in such a way that suggests the model is nude for herself. She is completely comfortable and she is having fun. Her breasts do bother me only a little, because I know they don't fall quite as static as depicted here, but I find the anatomy forgivable. What I can't get over though is the white space void above the neck, only because it creates an unfinished quality to this piece. I don't mind a lack of identity, only a lack of painted information, since the rest of the body is finished and painted.
Centering the body really allows you to focus on the body. The surrounding colors also help to focus on her, they offer a nice contrast to her skin tone and vibrancy. I think you also have a nice range of values in her body, although I feel like her breasts would have more shadow on them not just underneath.
Zach, your strengths for this piece; the movement of the lines of the body, the value of the paint in the background, and the color choice. Some of the problems are the blank area of the un-addressed head and the figures body doesn't look to be in the contra pasto position fully, though it is close. And, I think these were all things that we covered in class. Also, lovely colors!
Initially upon viewing this piece in class, I found it compelling. Your colors and line work are bold. I don't find it a problem that your figure is headless. The focal point of this painting is your figure's voluptuous form. To make your intentions more clear, you could address the top of the figure with more back-round.
I remember that you said your model was moving a lot, and no wonder. That pose would be agonizing to hold for more than fifteen minutes. The excessive motion is evident in the figure's lower legs, feet, and cast shadow, which seem like they were very difficult to render. Nevertheless, you did a good job of making the best of it, paying attention to the highlight on the calf and the flesh tones. Other, more static parts of the model's pose are amazingly painted, such as the stomach and arms. The white spot above the neck is a bit distracting, I think your piece wouldn't lose anything if you cropped it out.
I love the dark brown and green in the background, because they help accentuate the figure's hourglass shape. The lack of color near the top of the body help push the viewers eye up, kind of giving motion to the painting. I also love this pose!
The warm skin tones look very nice against the cool background. Your brush strokes are very interesting and make me look all over the whole painting. The highlights on the lower half of the body look awesome, and I feel like the are lacking on the upper half. I still don't know how I feel about the lack of identity....to me, there is an empty space because of the white void, it almost seems as though you left the space empty with the intention to add the head in later. However, with that said, I also think that the painting wouldn't really 'benefit' from an identity and it might actually change the whole affect of the painting if it was added.
I think the weak point of this painting is proportions. I feel like it holds together in the figure until you get to the legs, which are cut off too suddenly, and the figure seems a bit unbalanced because of it. I love the use of lines and textures though. They complement the curves of the figure nicely and the colors both pull the figure in to unify it as a piece and set it off nicely with the apparent halo effect that you have created.
your texture is very lively but the proportions of your figure is inaccurate. the legs i feel should be much longer. that being said, the highlights throughout the body are very well placed and executed
I really am captivated by this piece. I think your choice of palate is really beautiful, along with the pose you were trying to convey. I feel that the proportions of the body are a little bit askew, but the way you chose to render skin really draws from that and works with the figure.
I am very glad this piece came together without a head allowing for the artistic style to thrive within the anatomy of the curves and background.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of identity really makes the viewer question things and I believe it was a good choice to leave it out. The use of colors compliments the body well and making it the main focus your eye is drawn to.
ReplyDeleteI think that the flesh tone is done well and you can see the warm in the highlights. The figure is lost in the head and I feel like that works just fine. There is enough going on in the painting that I feel one could do without the head.
ReplyDeleteMy opinions and critique of this piece did not change from in class to online. I think the narrative of this piece is very fun; the colours are bright and vibrant and happy. True, the subject is a woman's naked body--something that is so, so often sexualised for someone else's gaze-- but the pose and colours are done in such a way that suggests the model is nude for herself. She is completely comfortable and she is having fun. Her breasts do bother me only a little, because I know they don't fall quite as static as depicted here, but I find the anatomy forgivable. What I can't get over though is the white space void above the neck, only because it creates an unfinished quality to this piece. I don't mind a lack of identity, only a lack of painted information, since the rest of the body is finished and painted.
ReplyDeleteCentering the body really allows you to focus on the body. The surrounding colors also help to focus on her, they offer a nice contrast to her skin tone and vibrancy. I think you also have a nice range of values in her body, although I feel like her breasts would have more shadow on them not just underneath.
ReplyDeleteZach, your strengths for this piece; the movement of the lines of the body, the value of the paint in the background, and the color choice. Some of the problems are the blank area of the un-addressed head and the figures body doesn't look to be in the contra pasto position fully, though it is close. And, I think these were all things that we covered in class. Also, lovely colors!
ReplyDeleteInitially upon viewing this piece in class, I found it compelling. Your colors and line work are bold. I don't find it a problem that your figure is headless. The focal point of this painting is your figure's voluptuous form. To make your intentions more clear, you could address the top of the figure with more back-round.
ReplyDeleteI remember that you said your model was moving a lot, and no wonder. That pose would be agonizing to hold for more than fifteen minutes. The excessive motion is evident in the figure's lower legs, feet, and cast shadow, which seem like they were very difficult to render. Nevertheless, you did a good job of making the best of it, paying attention to the highlight on the calf and the flesh tones. Other, more static parts of the model's pose are amazingly painted, such as the stomach and arms. The white spot above the neck is a bit distracting, I think your piece wouldn't lose anything if you cropped it out.
ReplyDeleteI love the dark brown and green in the background, because they help accentuate the figure's hourglass shape. The lack of color near the top of the body help push the viewers eye up, kind of giving motion to the painting. I also love this pose!
ReplyDeleteThe warm skin tones look very nice against the cool background. Your brush strokes are very interesting and make me look all over the whole painting. The highlights on the lower half of the body look awesome, and I feel like the are lacking on the upper half. I still don't know how I feel about the lack of identity....to me, there is an empty space because of the white void, it almost seems as though you left the space empty with the intention to add the head in later. However, with that said, I also think that the painting wouldn't really 'benefit' from an identity and it might actually change the whole affect of the painting if it was added.
ReplyDeleteI think the weak point of this painting is proportions. I feel like it holds together in the figure until you get to the legs, which are cut off too suddenly, and the figure seems a bit unbalanced because of it.
ReplyDeleteI love the use of lines and textures though. They complement the curves of the figure nicely and the colors both pull the figure in to unify it as a piece and set it off nicely with the apparent halo effect that you have created.
your texture is very lively but the proportions of your figure is inaccurate. the legs i feel should be much longer. that being said, the highlights throughout the body are very well placed and executed
ReplyDeleteI really am captivated by this piece. I think your choice of palate is really beautiful, along with the pose you were trying to convey. I feel that the proportions of the body are a little bit askew, but the way you chose to render skin really draws from that and works with the figure.
ReplyDelete