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I was having trouble coming up with a topic for my next blog when I had a request from a student to critique her artwork. The painting below was "not invited" into an exhibition she recently entered, and she bravely agreed to allow me to write about it here.

Andy Evansen on getting into shows:
"Don't get too high and don't get too low...Just keep painting."

Following advice I once heard - you should critique with the creator's eye and not your own - I asked Barb to provide some information on her intent and process to guide me as I critiqued her piece.

Disclaimer: I am in no way claiming to be an expert in this area. I consider it an honor that someone would request my advice and I will do my best, but remember, this is just one artist's opinion! I also apologize in advance for the crude photo editing (all changes were done on my computer), but hopefully you'll get the idea!

Barb's statement.

Title: Wondering How Other Artists View the Painting

Purpose (paraphrased and condensed): In the peach dress is the artist at an art opening standing in front of her own painting. She is hiding her emotions as she waits to hear the viewers' responses from behind her. 

Process (paraphrased and condensed): I sketched the people from a number of sources. I tried to keep the main focus on the girl in the peach dress by putting her in the front... I painted her dress lighter and brighter... I turned her sideways to show that she was listening and observing to hear anything that may have been said. I tried to use colors on the garments that others wore that would compliment and bring her image forward. The background wall was painted a duller brown with wood texture to avoid drawing attention.

Barb's painting.

Purpose.

Barb has clearly stated her purpose. I commend her for undertaking such a complicated and difficult piece! Her intent was to portray an artist struggling with the gamut of feelings ranging from excitement and hopefulness to fear of rejection. We've all been there, haven't we?

Artist Statement.

Barb was successful in creating an expression of expectation on the subject's face and in her stance. She also succeeded in piquing the viewer's interest as to what the story might be, and what the characters might be thinking. This is an original piece with a unique perspective, but a few changes might help to tell the story.

The elements and principles of design.

These are the tools necessary to achieve your purpose and create a pleasing painting that attracts and holds a viewer's attention. Use these elements to achieve your goal, and always keep an eye on your purpose! I won't go into detail here, and I will only touch on a few; but I do recommend that every artist study these, and then decide when and how to use them in your own work. 

Design Elements:

• Line
• Direction
• Shape
• Size
• Texture
• Value
• Color 

Critique.

The area on Barb's painting that first draws my eye is the high heeled shoe on the bottom left. I'm not sure if it's a proportion issue or simply a contrast issue (value), but I would darken that whole area and let it fade away. Darkening the lower areas will also ground the painting.

The subject is the artist in the foreground holding a beverage; everything else in the painting should be designed to make her shine. The peach hue was a good choice for the subject's dress, so I just brightened it a bit (color) and added white polka dots for interest. Barb chose lovely complements (blue, green, violet) to contrast the peach dress, but I decided to neutralize and soften everything around the subject (color and value) by "glazing" over the supporting characters and background areas with cool tones. This also helps to connect the shapes together so the eye can wander freely through the composition.

Moving on to the background, I discovered little faces in the top left corner, like little surprises you find if you look at the painting long enough! Though the wood panel wall is very nicely painted, perhaps a few pieces of framed art on a plain wall might better support the artist's purpose: I played with my photo editor to turn those little faces into framed paintings. 

My take on the title.

I think a better title would be something less specific - something like Analysis or Scrutiny, which would lead the viewer but not spell out the story for them.

Edited version.

Thank you, Barb, for allowing me to provide input into improving your painting. These are simply my design choices, certainly not the only way to make improvements, but I hope this critique was helpful. I look forward to seeing more of your artwork in the future!

Paint. Love. Repeat.