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May 8, 2018 at 5:42 pm #455781
Three images of a scene. Which is the better composition? Which do you like best? Why? I plan to do this in oil paint, and it will probably have the person with back to viewer in it, as in drawing 3. Should the painting be in color or greys? I want the mood to be tense, frightening… How can I improve this? C&C appreciated.
1) watercolor 9×12″
2) water soluble graphite 6×9″
3) graphite 5×7″ This is the most complete image, and what I want to portray. Is it the best composition? Size will probably be 11×14″
May 8, 2018 at 6:28 pm #619258If the story is about the humans, and not the trees, then the human shapes should predominate. They do not do that in sketches 1 and 2.
For a “tense, frightening” emotion, the colors, values and edge conditions will need to be those which convey those emotions. And the facial expressions and postures of the figures will need to convey those emotions.
Don’t space all the figures and foreground trees equi-distant apart as in the third sketch.
sling paint,
VirgilSling paint,
Virgil Carter
http://www.virgilcarterfineart.com/May 9, 2018 at 12:59 am #619259Virgil, thanks. This is a whole new step for me–portraying a mood. I appreciate your input.
May 10, 2018 at 12:52 am #619257so far there’s no hint of what they might be afraid of … it appears they’re playing with balls in the woods and running happily toward someone.
less sunshine/more darkness, more mystery, with some clue of reason for caution/fear
la
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When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know PeaceMay 10, 2018 at 8:02 am #619260You’re right, La. That’s why I did the second and third in graphite. I’ll work on it. I’ve been looking for examples, I don’t want “war” or “torture” examples. Things happen in everyday life that cause fear or terror in someone. The figure in the center is being chased.
May 10, 2018 at 12:58 pm #619256This doesn’t directly relate to your image, but perhaps it might give you some ideas? One of the most popular Romantic era poems is Goethe’s Erlkönig [Wikipedia], which can be pretty terrifying if done right. See Jessye Norman’s performance of Schubert’s musical versionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=, for example. It still gives me chills….
Anyway, quite a few artists have painted versions of it, here’s a link to a google search on “erlkönig by goethe“. For me the ones that were best are the ones where the light and background forms actively add to the sense of doom.
Another interior – but not a chase scene – that is very foreboding is Degas’ Interior (aka the Rape)[wikipedia], with the room cast in gloom except for the light in the center, and the protagonists at opposite corners.
That one is often said to be based on Zola’s murder story, Thérèse Raquin.
The literary backgrounds to these makes me think that a good source of ideas or techniques for your work might be lie in illustrations to other frightening works, or works with frightening episodes? Like this one from an early edition of Treasure Island:
[from robert-louis-stevenson.org, The First Illustrations for Treasure Island[/URL]]Many of the late 19th and early 20th Century illustrators were wonderful artists in their own right, and hence might provide some useful help!
Cheers;
ChrisC&C of all sorts always welcome! (I don't mind rude or harsh criticism.)
I suppose I have to do this too (my blog, & current work). My Visual Arts Nova Scotia page.
Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known - Oscar Wilde
The primary palette: Attention, observation, memory, imagination, integration, executionMay 11, 2018 at 1:29 pm #619261Chris, thanks!
The interior scene is more what I’m going for. I am working at growing and educating my imagination. (read: I have none/few at the moment!
I’ve been studying the erlkonig images, and see some aspects that can be helpful.
I have a lot of work and experimenting to do. Thanks for the links.July 20, 2018 at 5:28 pm #619262You’re going to have to add an eagle scooping up a small mammal if you want it to be tense and frightening. Even if you darken the lighting, it will only suggest a walk through the park on a stormy day. Or at least a little girl looking mournfully at her balloon as it floats away out of reach.
May 27, 2019 at 8:06 am #619263 -
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