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Comment by Michael J. Severin on November 12, 2016 at 4:56

Oops, one more thing Norm that I was going to mention, but forgot:  That straight line on top of the sitting wolf ... do something with that .. it is kind of distracting .. well, very distracting actually.  What's happening,  is that straight line, being radically different then the rest of the lines of the wolves, immediately sticks out like a sore thumb .. and it keeps the viewer fixated on that little area .... and I know that you do not want us to keep staring at the top of his head! .. but that is what we will subconsciously do .. we will fixate on that one doggone spot! .. BTW, and that is the same phenomenon that occurs with your other super hard edges that I was referring to earlier.  Those hard edges (at the base of the trees) are like magnets that are pulling us away from the place you want us to look .... which is the eyes of the wolves .. those peering, mystical wolf eyes. :))  

Comment by Michael J. Severin on November 12, 2016 at 4:43

HI Norm.  Thank you for allowing me to say a few things about your painting.  First, I would like to say that your painting is excellent.  You have both visual music and poetry .. the latter having to do with the emotional impact of your painting.  There is a nice harmony of warm and cool grays which enhance the illusion of this cold winter day.  The wolves looking straight on at us, gives the impression that we are not just voyeurs watching the wolves from afar, but we are "tolerated guests" .. we as observers feel a kindred spirit with the wolves.  I do not profess to be an authority on the anatomy of wolves, so I will assume you have studied enough to draw them accurately.  You most certainly have given them their dignity.  A few thing that I would like to point out concerning compositional type stuff.  You have a nice repetition of tree shapes .. repetition is important .. it is essential in providing harmony.  Coupled with Dominance and Variety, it provides Unity.  This is where your painting might require a few adjustments.  Repetition without variety is boring .. it produces dominance, but not Unity.  You need more variety in the repetitive shapes of your trees .. they are all the same width, color, value, direction, and distance from each other.  The angle of the base line of every tree is exactly the same.  The 3 trees on the left are the main culprits ... Edges:  All of your tree base lines have a straight, hard edge .. soften some of those edges, pile some more snow on them to make it more interesting .. the key phrase here is:  Repetition without variety creates boredom.  Save your harder edges for the trees that are nearest us. The ones behind should do 2 things:  1. become more progressively softer edged, and 2. become a little lighter in value as they recede.  This will put one tree behind the other.  You have overlapped those 3 trees .. that is excellent ..but you need more then just overlapping to achieve a sense of spacial depth between each tree ... edges and value will do that for you. Same thing with the area of overlapping of the wolves.  Where the standing wolf overlaps the sitting one, you have a too strong of a contrast.  This causes the standing wolf to look like he is merging into the sitting shape .. like they are fused together .. head to head.  In order to make the sitting wolf appear disconnected and behind the standing one, you need to lighten the value of the sitting wolf's head as it nears the white of "whiskers"?? of the standing wolf.  That will give the illusion that the sitting wolf's head is behind the other one.  BTW, I like your lost and found edges in the rendition of the wolves . very good on that.  So, very handsome painting you have here Norm! . congratulations.  :))

Comment by Norm Craig on November 11, 2016 at 11:25

        

      Hi Michael,

              By all means, I welcome and look forward to your critique. Norm   

Comment by Michael J. Severin on November 11, 2016 at 10:01

Hi Norm.  I would like to critique your very handsome painting ... but not unsolicited.  Let me know if you would like a critique?  Thanks.