Which Jasmine would you choose?

[winecountry]

HI,
about to start the next commission, so unlike my usual I did 3 prelim sketches trying to see which one would work....Which one would you choose? I'll let you know the one I settled on when I start a new WIP under Jessica's Jasmine. When the lay in is done I'll start the post .

Keep in mind I'm free to be as abstract as I like as long as the cat is realistic. and this is a cat and people I know well who have just said Do it!
my idea of heaven in commission land!
posted one photo ref for the green one

20 min sketches on strathmore, mixed pastels
My Best,
Colleen

[Paula Ford]

Hmmm, I like #1

Paula

[Goewyn]

I also prefer #1. :)

-- Linda

[DAK723]

I like number 1 and number 4 is very interesting as well.

Just a suggestion, I would crop number 1 slightly - taking off a few inches off the right edge. It removes the dark brown? edge which is a little distracting to me, and puts the cat's head slightly off center. As the cat is looking slightly to the left, I like a little more room on the left side.

Number 4 is very dramatic, but again since the cat is looking slightly to the right, I would feel it is better compositionally if the cat is looking into the bigger part of the picture rather then towards the edge. If the cat were looking straight ahead or slightly to the left, I think number 4 could be very exciting!

I hope you don't mid but I cropped number 1.

Don

cropped
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/30-May-2007/82335-jasmine_sketch-cropped.jpg.jpe

original
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/30-May-2007/82335-jasmine_sketch_1.jpg.jpe

[DAK723]

Obviously, having reread your post, number 4 is the reference photo!! But it is nonetheless, a very interesting composition!

I guess I could edit my original response, and take out any reference to my own stupidity, but it is funnier this way!

Don

[winecountry]

Hi Don,
well I like the crop, what you saw was the clip holding the paper in a high wind while I took the photo.....I like that #4 too, but have eliminated it as a pastel...too many tricky value changes...would work better as an oil I think, since I like the green haze I could glaze that in oil

Thanks Paula and Linda!
colleen

[Dark_Shades]

I picked the same as Don...... 1 + 4 :)

[soap]

Difficult. Would be easier to choose seeing just reference photos. No.1: is that cat sitting on a cushion or something? What's the background? No.3: is cat trying to eat the chair?
I like no.2 but I'd crop off most of our left side so that most of the picture is filled with the cat's head. I might even try to leave all leaves out and work with a white background (cat against the light). Might be a challenge for values (cat's face is in the dark but main focal point) but it is the most interesting one. A more traditional approach is no.1 in which you can show off how well you can paint cats.

[Karen Margulis]

I vote for #1 because it shows off Jasmine's beautiful eyes...I have a siamese so I am partial!! I would leave out the things on the edges to focus more on the cat. Can't wait to follow your WIP!
karen

[Lisa M]

I agree with Soap on choosing to feature a close-up of the cat's face. I like the composition of her hiding in the leaves and such (as in the ref photo) but zooming in, on either #1 or #2 (the one that matches the photo--forgot the order), would be my suggestion to feature her face. What a pretty cat!!
lisa

[winecountry]

this is interesting :confused: here are the other two ref photos
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/31-May-2007/103030-jasmine_72_.jpghttp://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/31-May-2007/103030-jasmine_paws_72.jpg

[soap]

I'd do this:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/31-May-2007/15421-103030-jasmine_72_.jpg
or this:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/31-May-2007/15421-jazleaves.jpg

[prestonsega]

definately #1

[winecountry]

Ok so glad I put this up, I was going to do the one NO ONE likes...thats par for me choosing the really odd stuff, which is ok for me but not commissions
so all in all I chose one completely different, but one that has a lot of the qualities people mentioned.....As soon as the lay in drawing is complete I'll start a new thread called Jessica's Jasmine.

thanks so much everyone, you probably really saved me!
Colleen

[Goewyn]

I think what makes #1 appealing to most people is the definate contrast between the background and the cat. There's a lot of depth visible. If you can incorporate that quality into the others, I think you'll have a great picture, whichever one you choose to do. :)

-- Linda