By all means, Dave, you should retain artistic ownership of your work and not implement changes that go against the grain of what you intend in the piece. I don't know that anyone offering critiques here has an emotional investment in persuading anyone to do something they're not comfortable with. There's perhaps a more acute sense of vulnerability attached to posting a piece of artwork, as opposed to, say, joining the fray of debate, and my impression of almost all replies to such postings in this Portrait Critiques forum is that they're generally (and genuinely) focused on fundamentals and not on esoteric preferences. I would have failed in my purpose here if someone just automatically adopted my advices without turning them this way and that and assaying them and considering whether they were actually the sort of stones the artist really wanted to mount in the setting of the piece.

I once had a psychology professor who, a few minutes into a class, walked down amongst the students and looked at this notebook, and that notepad, and said "What is everybody writing? You shouldn't be writing down everything I say. You should be listening and thinking about it."

Same intentions here, I believe.

Steven

Oops...
 

I think that the art of painting really cannot be taught and therefore cannot be learned. Only certain underlying principles and fundamental techniques can be discussed.

These things are usually hidden away in a work of art and are not so obvious as the (I admit) "outrageous liberties" I took in altering your painting.

Style in painting is rather like handwriting...we all know and use the same alphabet, but the overall appearance of our individual writing is vastly different - as it should be.

I posted my altered copy of your painting - not as a suggestion that your penmanship should look like mine (heaven forbid) - but to illustrate (and exagerate) the fundamental principles and techniques of painting that I was attempting to point out.

The principles I listed are most difficult to grasp - especially in this venue - and I think that I did you a great disservice. I regret that I altered your picture. My illustration was not clear and served no useful purpose here.

Sorry.

Thanks, Karin.

I appreciate your words. I must admit, I WAS a bit taken aback by (and I use this rather harsh word with affection) your "assault" on my work. I've never yet seen anyone else's efforts in the forum treated so radically and abstractly. I was kind of hoping for some positive feedback on things I might actually have done well. C'est la vie, as we say up here in Montreal.

Thanks, Steven.

You suggested that the self-illumination of the lamp might have reconciled better were it more in keeping with a child. Don't forget, this is a work intended for the family involved. This setting is very evocative of their life & home. They had acutally sold their home in Quebec, moved to Toronto for a year, and then moved back, coincidentally buying-back the same house. In each incarnation the same lamp and table was in the same corner of their stairwell. It work's for this family. I absolutely knew and strived for these admittedly "competing centers of interest". (As opposed to M&M where it was all accidental.) I have no problem with the lamp being noticed first, and having the eye bounce between them.

Knowing the "rules" of composition is all I need to justify my breaking them.

For those who may be interested, here's the main photo I worked from.

David, I'm not sure how your monitor is adjusted, but the photo is so dark, it's hard to see any details in the dark area. So, I'm reposted it with adjustments.

I misunderstood and thought that you had asked me to do this in your private email to me. And don't worry I will not do that to you again. It would be really helpful if, when posting a painting for critique, the artist CLEARLY asks for what they want...i.e., "I need help with the composition, skintones, background, anatomy, etc."

Fair enough. I made a wrong assumption. But from now on, please SAY this if/when you ever send me another picture in the future.

It has taken me a lifetime to learn how to paint. And I resent the time and energy it takes to translate this knowlege into words as much as you resent my having done it.

...enough said...let's drop this subject and get back to our easels :)

Well!...

I like the way your paintings have a narrative to them. It's something you can capitalize on by the spaces you include. You've done that well here, and in your other portrait, Melody and ? (sorry).

I would just keep on eye on your edges.

David's "Princess" Leah
 

This is my first posting, and it was prompted by the respectful way I feel David was responded to; it feels an emotionally safe forum to present, and to respond to. Now back to my painting! :exclamati