composition vs. the butt

[joflasher]

So Dryad is quickly becoming my most popular piece. Its getting better responses than the kids, than Red Masquerade, even better than Rabbit Hunter. Its also getting responses from people who normally don't comment on my work, which is weird in a good way.

Josh's theory is that its a better composition than the others. Unlike most of my paintings, the main character is easy to pick out and doesn't have a lot of "noise" around her. Rabbit Hunter, which I consider to be of equal skill, requires you to stare at the picture for awhile in order to find everything. Dryad is nice and simple.

My theory is that people like half naked women with nice butts.

Which of us do you guys think is right?

Comments

[vandebeast.livejournal.com]

While half naked women with nice butts are certainly a plus, Dryad has more contrast than Rabbit Hunter, so I was more struck by it. (Assuming I'm in the group of people that don't tend towards commenting on your work.) Somehow the face on Dryad feels more real than Rabbit Hunter, drawing in the eye and giving a strong first impression.

[pancua.livejournal.com]

I keep getting a page not found error. =(

[meerkat299.livejournal.com]

Corrected Links:
Red Masquerade
Rabbit Hunter
Other Watercolors by flasher

[starherd.livejournal.com]

Well, the face comes across as a bit more simple than the one in Rabbit Hunter, so I think it makes it easier to take in (along with the contrast). I think it also has a more extreme first impression for people because it's much less complex... most of your paintings are scenes, where as this one is more of a portrait. The Dryad comes across as very striking because *she's* the focus, not the action.

(Note that I generally gravitate toward scenes/complex pictures rather than portraits, because I like things that I can stare at for a long time. Portraits make a great first impression - hence why I said it looked like a book cover to me (well, that and all the nice space to put a title) - but aren't usually the sort of thing I'll hang up to stare at for any length of time. But that's just me.)

Anyway... the nice butt doesn't hurt, either. ;-)

If you get to show your pictures at a convention, I'd use the Dryad as a center piece for your panel and arrange other pictures around it - that way the first impression grabs people, and then they take a closer look at the other pictures... Again, it would be working like a book cover there...

Sorry... I *think* this made sense... let me know if not. I'm off to bed now...

[flasher.livejournal.com]

Don't think using Dryad as the center piece would work all that well. Most of my paintings are 15 x 20. Dryad is 9x12. Center piece should be BIG

[starherd.livejournal.com]

very good point... hard to tell that from seeing all the recent stuff online, though ;-)

[zyrain.livejournal.com]

Though I can't comment on the actual skill required for either dryad or red masquerade, to a layman, like me, dryad looks much more detailed. The things that struck me about Dryad on my first glimpse where the ears (best elf ears I've ever seen), the 'flow' of the bark on her body, and of course, the butt (which took me a second to notice).
In a side by side comparison with RM, I see several things I like more:
The hair.
The background seems properly 'focused' (as a camera) instead of trying to steal attention.
The lips.
The leaves are better.
D is much more angular in several places (right arm bark spike, tree limbs, ears, chin, hair), which gives a better sense of hyper-reality.
The pose looks more natural
The colors seem more balanced in Dryad. RM's bright green leaves makes the rest of the background look more washed out.

Oh well. Hope that helps.

[talldean.livejournal.com]

More nudity, done tastefully, is rarely disliked.

That aside, the rabbit was still a better picture than the rabbithunter. :-P

[shoebox-bird.livejournal.com]

That's such a beautiful painting, Jo.

I like it better than rabbit hunter, because of the colors and imagery. Red Masq. isn't really a fair comparison - kinda like apples and oranges. So I guess I like those two the same.