I Would Like People's Opinions

[PO]

I started a thread in Sketchbooks that I have regularly contributed to and updated for a long while now, but have not really gotten any response from people on the site. I was sent here by a friend and I would very much like to take an active part in the site, so I thought I would ask people's opinions here. I suppose I am interested on what people have to say about my style. I am a self taught artist from Ireland, I started painting and drawing about two and a half years ago. I don't want to say too much bullshit so I guess I will just present the pieces that I think best represent my style, if I even have a style. I would also LOVE to know where you guys think I should go, what particular style I have explored I should go down and explore further.

Please let me know what you think.

Conor x

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The Red Wedding.

[PO]

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[Rhubix]

In my experience people tend to be most active on threads that are in a similar field to their own. For example, I'm an animator and a cartoonist so I tend to look at other cartoonists and comment on their work. I don't have much to say about fine arts, or the more serious game-design side of the forum because I don't really know how to contribute.
Like wise, the majority comments on my sketchbook come from other cartoonists.

Since this website is mainly dedicated to concept art- which is very representational, the audience for non-representational art is quite limited.

In all honesty I don't know how to comment on art that is exploring style, metaphor or higher thinking- my whole art brain is focused on representational drawing, and telling stories through movement.
I watched a bunch of documentaries this past week on some of the classic artists - and all the symbolism and thought that goes into their work. Van Gough's sunflowers can fill a 3 hour documentary - - when I draw sunflowers, they're just flowers - there's no mystical back story or slow decent into madness. I just don't get it.

I recommend looking for artists on the site with a similar style interest to yours, they might have some suggestions. But when it boils down to it representational work, and art related to entertainment design is going to get the most attention on this site.

[Psychotime]

Hey, I remember you! Don't take this the wrong way, but some kinds of things are hard to comment on.

Pretty much what Rhubix said, find other members into the kind of stuff you do. However, it seems you're in a bit of a minority here.

[Kamber Parrk]

Putting aside any prejudices re "representational" art as relates to your Picasso meets Basquiat meets Tim Burton thing you got going, I'd say you really need to study COMPOSITION.

Some of these border on an off-beat illustration style like you might find in "alternative weekly papers" here in the States. But, the mishandling of compositional elements tends to pull them back into random notebook doodle territory.

Jack Hamm's Drawing Scenery: Landscapes and Seascapes would help give you insight into better manipulating the compositional elements of your abstract creations.

Well, that's all I got!

[Kasumi]

I am not a big fan of abstract art. When it does catch my interest it's usually because the painting gives me an sense of depth.

In the following two images, there's nothing real being painted. But I can see what's behind what. I can tell where light is shining.
http://colorslive.com/details/59113
http://colorslive.com/details/433916

In next image, things look flat. There are surfaces, but it's not giving me a sense of depth.
http://colorslive.com/details/192383
As opposed to the words in this (by the guy who did the above flat one, actually)
http://colorslive.com/details/77830

I can appreciate something like Les Trois Femmes by Picasso, but not The Dream

In your image with the orange trees with eyes, I'm reminded of the trees in Super Mario 64. 2D flat sprites painted in a world that's supposed to have depth. All of the perspective is strange, which could be intentional, but it's not my thing.

[JeffX99]

Hmmmm...yeah, pretty hard to offer much that may be of value. I guess I could just offer my reactions...I think you have some potential in the post-modern gallery market/world... though curently the majority of the pieces lack a sense of "maturity" and feel a bit too derivative of basic cubism. The one piece that stands out to me is the black and white maze like floor plan thing...I think a body of work could be developed around whatever you have going on there.

As advice I would suggest plenty of reading and research on modern art movements, artists and theories. This may give you some clearer direction and understanding and help you develop that maturity thing I mentioned. Additionally I would start looking to make contacts and hanging out with people in your local gallery and art scene.

Keep in mind this is all advice if you're interested in further development along the lines of the work you've posted. Good luck!

[PO]

In my experience people tend to be most active on threads that are in a similar field to their own. For example, I'm an animator and a cartoonist so I tend to look at other cartoonists and comment on their work. I don't have much to say about fine arts, or the more serious game-design side of the forum because I don't really know how to contribute.
Like wise, the majority comments on my sketchbook come from other cartoonists.

Since this website is mainly dedicated to concept art- which is very representational, the audience for non-representational art is quite limited.

In all honesty I don't know how to comment on art that is exploring style, metaphor or higher thinking- my whole art brain is focused on representational drawing, and telling stories through movement.
I watched a bunch of documentaries this past week on some of the classic artists - and all the symbolism and thought that goes into their work. Van Gough's sunflowers can fill a 3 hour documentary - - when I draw sunflowers, they're just flowers - there's no mystical back story or slow decent into madness. I just don't get it.

I recommend looking for artists on the site with a similar style interest to yours, they might have some suggestions. But when it boils down to it representational work, and art related to entertainment design is going to get the most attention on this site.

I don't know if there are any non representational artists on here.

Putting aside any prejudices re "representational" art as relates to your Picasso meets Basquiat meets Tim Burton thing you got going, I'd say you really need to study COMPOSITION.

Some of these border on an off-beat illustration style like you might find in "alternative weekly papers" here in the States. But, the mishandling of compositional elements tends to pull them back into random notebook doodle territory.

Jack Hamm's Drawing Scenery: Landscapes and Seascapes would help give you insight into better manipulating the compositional elements of your abstract creations.

Well, that's all I got!

I need to study it? Like by reading up on it?


Thanks for the advice!

[Januz]

u cubist bro?

There are some interesting concepts there. Like others have said, i'd suggest you study proportion and also some color theory. The palettes on some of the pieces seem a bit too saturated and full. Some contrast with less saturated colors might give a bit more depth.

Agreed on the black & white piece. It kind of reminds me of Mapuche art. You might find some inspiration in it

Keep working!

[PO]

u cubist bro?

There are some interesting concepts there. Like others have said, i'd suggest you study proportion and also some color theory. The palettes on some of the pieces seem a bit too saturated and full. Some contrast with less saturated colors might give a bit more depth.

Agreed on the black & white piece. It kind of reminds me of Mapuche art. You might find some inspiration in it

Keep working!

By Proportions do you mean the proportions of a human body? Because I don't know if I am necessarily interested in representing the human body scale accurately in my art. I like to express their characters in an abstract and sometimes metaphorical way.

[Black Spot]

You do know Picasso learnt the rules before breaking them? You trying to break them without learning what you're breaking in the first place. Learn the rules first.

[PO]

You do know Picasso learnt the rules before breaking them? You trying to break them without learning what you're breaking in the first place. Learn the rules first.

I wouldn't even know where to begin! Never had an art class in my life. I guess I could look up tutorials and stuff, but I have been advised by some very good Irish artists to just keep going the way I am going. But I would definitely be interested in learning how to draw things in a representative way but I kind of feel it would be more interesting for me to actually learn it myself by experimenting, rather than looking up particular methods, maybe I am just being stubborn.

[karta tajba]

That would be like me listening to Rob Lieflied, if he had told me to keep going with my style and its have very weak elements.

[PO]

Here's a self portrait I about two years ago. I was using charcoal for the first time,




Then a more recent one. I think like....May or something.










Then this is some Irish soldier I drew around the same time two years ago with charcoal again I think.

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[Januz]

By Proportions do you mean the proportions of a human body? Because I don't know if I am necessarily interested in representing the human body scale accurately in my art. I like to express their characters in an abstract and sometimes metaphorical way.

LOL, no I meant composition but wrote proportion
I have to admit, I like your old stuff better but I'm more into that kind of art. You have a nice sense of values, try to bring some of that into your modern paintings (and don't forget to study color).
Also, merry xmas everyone!

[Candra H]

You know, it mught be a thought to put a link to your sketchbook in your signature. Thats often how I find people's work on here because I don't spend a lot of time in the sketchbook section. I have my own SB but it's for my perosnal improvement so I'm less interested in friending others in that section or getting feedback by giving it.

But yeah, I don't have much to say about your work because it's not my personal cup of tea. Jeff gave good advice, among others, so I wont add what would just be personal speculation anyway. Just, I like the negative trees but feel you could have been more sensitive in how you depicted the branches and how the trunks relate to the ground plane on that one.

[PO]

Nice feedback, thank you candra!

Here is one I did for my mother about a week or two ago for Christmass. It is my grandparents.

I think this style will be more to people's tastes on this site.

[PO]

So I have been told to try out the fine arts forum, has anyone any knowledge of any other forums like this that would suit me?

[Psychotime]

With more skill in representation, you could probably make that last painting into something really striking.

[Elwell]

has anyone any knowledge of any other forums like this that would suit me?

http://www.wetcanvas.com

[bill618]

…has anyone any knowledge of any other forums like this that would suit me?

Google ‘outsider art’ and ‘visionary art’.

Check out the American Visionary Art Museum (went there a few weekends ago):
http://www.avam.org/exhibitions/curr...ibitions.shtml

[mecos]

i really like the last piece you posted. i don't think it needs to be rendered more than it is. i like that it isn't actually because it makes it almost ominous. i do have an issue with the composition, i have a hard time looking at the left side of the painting, my eye wants to go there but it doesn't want to stay there. i think cropping a bit off the left would improve it greatly.

[PO]

Thank you! Glad you liked it. If you guys like the more representational stuff, you might like this one.

[Black Spot]

This is turning into a SB. Thread closed.