"Tears"

[Jan-Michael]

MY IMAGE(S):
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/upload_spool/01-12-2002/4552_TEARS1.jpg


GENERAL INFORMATION:
Title: "Tears"
Year Created: 2000
Medium: Digital
Surface: Computer
Dimension: N/A
Allow digital alterations?: No, please :)

MY COMMENTS:
I keep working on this one...LOL
when I first started working in digital art...
I wanted to pull some emotion out of the machine
wanted to destroy that PERFECT digital look
it had...

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP:
others see things that we as the artist are way to close to and
we become biased...I really like this image but want it to
be the best it can be ... so if you see anything wrong or that could
be improved let me know... thanks for the help...:)

[bruin70]

i don't understand why you want to pull an emotional image out of the computer or destroy that perfect digital look when you could simply paint it. it seems you are fighting against the computer's nature. there are programs, like maya, that try to simulate the paint brush.

be that as it may,,,i think you might want to try adding some simulated texture to the jpg surface. give the image some tactil-lity....{M}

[bluespade]

The only program I know called Maya is for gaming digital work, I don't know about it for painting. Can you elaborate?

On the artwork: I'm not sure what you are shooting for, and I don't know if what I'm seeing is do to your downsizing the pic to fit on here, but if you want it to be less digital you'll have to get rid of the jaggies and the color discontinuity problem. Perhaps your intent is to cover they underlying greys in a landscape? with the head and shoulders above it?

Also, what are you looking to do with the right eye? I looks battered.

[bruin70]

somebody somewhere took the maya program and created a digital portrait with simulated brushwork.

[mjkohler]

jan michael this is so beautiful. I looked at it and wondered why the aberration to the form. But thinking about it I guess that is what helps to create its beauty. As slightly muddied colours help show up the beauty of bright colours.

the black shapes look flat to me compared to the beautiful layering of the white at the top of the head. i would be interested in seeing at least part of the black shapes with the same effect. mjk:clap: :clap:

[henrik]

I have been looking at this several times now, and found it difficult to give critique - something is disturbing me, and I think I found it...

I think the problem is that the design cuts the canvas in two halfs, one dark and one bright - my eye goes flip/flop between the two sides. The right eye (viewer's right) works as a focal point, but I find that the dark side has a strong pull and the focus is lost. The "pull from the dark side" could perhaps also be attributed to the contrast and hard eges of the black shape bottom left. The hard edges at the bottom also has a strong pull - as these areas are not developed I get confused... what is it I am looking at down here ?!?

[Jan-Michael]

Thanks everyone for the input... I guess I didn’t explain myself right. I was not trying to destroy the digital look of the image.. I am not a big fan of digital art trying to look like traditional art.. I would agree you may as well do it traditionally then.. But I sometimes don’t like the overly clean and flawless nature the computer likes to render in.. The parts at the bottom are missing pieces of the figure’s wireframe .. I basically tore the lower part of the wireframe apart... as for the eye that was added in Paintshop Pro later and it was my intention to create machine/human form... It appears that the main problem seems to be the high level of contrasts... I think I’ll take it into Photoshop and apply some layer masks to see if I can reduce the harshness... thanks again for the input always appreciated...

As far as Maya is concerned it is the top end of the Computer Graphics world.. Yes it is used in computer games... and many movies including the most recent Lord Of The Rings.. It’s special effects capabilities blow me away... and yes you can also paint in Maya as well... although that isn't it's strong point there are much better programs for painting...

PS ... as of Feb 2002 there will be a FREE version of Maya available for personal use...Free Maya info here... (http://www.aliaswavefront.com/en/Home/homepage.jhtml)