Emmanuel Martin Artwork, critique please.

[Elfmonkey]

Hi, I've been out of work for the last few years due to poor health, but I've spent most of my time developing my art. I'd like general criticism that may help me in the industry or may help me see what my strengths are vs my weakness'. Grateful for any insights that I may glean from you. :)

I'm just having some problems uploading stuff at the moment, hopefully this link to my gallery will do.

http://www.conceptart.org/?artist=Elfmonkey

[Artfix]

Hey Elf. I'm sorry about your health. I hope you are feeling better!

The first thing I noticed as a flaw in your work is some of the crops you've chosen and some of the image/narrative being unclear--for example: The first image: the background creature is actually a bit ambiguous as to where he is and how big he is. Why does HIS left side merge into the scenery? Are those his fingers in the foreground? In image 5, I can't tell what is going on with the robot's legs because its cut off. And is it holding some kind of staff? I just can't tell. In image 11, the crop is so tight that I can't see the body of the dino and his head ends up looking way too big. I also have no sense of scale here. Is he 3 inches tall or 3 hundred feet tall?

Ok the next thing I notice is that most of them are just too loose. Now I work in a loose painterly style, but I like to think I have other things that make the image interesting besides tight rendering. And I also like to think that my looseness looks like a choice, rather than just being lazy or in a hurry. I dont know if I'm successful but my work is beside the point. I think you should try to tighten up some areas of some of these. I think Image 1 is just right--I really like the loose/tight balance in it. I also think Image 2 is nice but the birds are pushing it! The background in Image 5 is pushing it. Images 3 and 12 are much, much too loose and maybe not worth keeping. The face in Image 16 is just too simplified.

So think about what you want your style to be, and what a good point to stop painting is. I think you're stopping just a tad too early.

Lastly, I would take image 9 out of your portfolio--it just doesn't match.

Good luck!

[Elfmonkey]

Hey Art, Thanks for that, I think you've made a very good point about my work being under finished. I suffer from chronic fatigue which means I can't always concentrate for that long, but also I do paint quickly and get impatient. I've tried to keep working for longer and this is starting to happen. I'm glad you've pointed this out though...I shall persevere!! Most of the paintings are kinda improvised without any real story so that's prob why the narrative doesn't come across too clear, though I've alway liked ambiguity.. kinda.. sort of...;)

Actually I'm working on something at the moment that I am stepping back from and trying so solve all the problems in it thoroughly, but I also hate over-working something and losing that spontaneity. But I am a bit on the lazy side really. :)

Ps. the dinosaur was big, yes that is a leg, yes that is a lance, and I don't know why the monster's left? side merges with the background. ( and they are his fingers).

To be honest I don't get much criticism of the kind I need, so thank you again!! :)

Cheers, Emmanuel.

[RogerRoger]

hey,
nice work here.
just as Artfix, i think some of your painting are too loose and that makes a unfinished and blurry feel to the image (i'm having this kind of problem too).

Beside that, you have great skills.

Also, for your health problem, maybe you should try a different way of working since you can't focus for too long on an image. Like, maybe, working on several images at once, doing design/rough only. then, after a break, going into colors/details.
Maybe you can find something that suits you more than working several hours on the same image.

[ArtCenterStudentToBe]

This is a crit of the purple-haired vixen.

You're pushing the anatomy, and this is a good thing. There's a nice flow/gesture to the whole figure. Watch out for details like missing nipples. The highlight on her forearm seems wrong, the way you have it moving toward the lower edge of the forearm. What's happening with the feet? They look a bit too vague.

I definitely get that she's an android, but go further in communicating the story in here: what's happened to the flesh on her hand? If she's been injured in a fight, is she going to be giving us this come-hither look? Also, putting her in battle fatigues might communicate your design better.
Last, there's something off with the thigh, though I can't figure out what it is. You might have pushed the tones too much here or something.
All in all a pretty cool image.