a simple question to artists...

[Robert_S]

Hi,

I'm making pictures since more than 30 years now, I'm painting, airbrushing, sketching, modeling and so on. Everybody who do the same surely knows the special point, the point of no return, the point deciding over good or bad. I mean the point in creating a picture when you can overdo it, when you have to stop... I still have problems to find this point. And you?

[bigH]

Hi,

I'm making pictures since more than 30 years now, I'm painting, airbrushing, sketching, modeling and so on. Everybody who do the same surely knows the special point, the point of no return, the point deciding over good or bad. I mean the point in creating a picture when you can overdo it, when you have to stop... I still have problems to find this point. And you?

I being doing art for over 50 years and I agree - thats what so nice ( good or bad ) about using a computer - you can go back with out starting over or you can work it forever .

But no matter what you do - I fine some one will all ways say why didn't they do this or that to it . Or you will look at some thing you did in the past and say I should have did this or that .

Good point !

[vos]

Robert:I'm making pictures since more than 30 years now.
bigH:I being doing art for over 50 years.

what can I say,I play now two years with bryce 5,it is just fun for me and I agree with bigH words: thats what so nice ( good or bad ) about using a computer - you can go back with out starting over or you can work it forever ............

[Rumour]

The answer to this isn't as hard as you might think. The point of deciding when to stop or not is up to you and what you want to achieve. If you're having trouble finding that spot, I'd say leave it overnight and come back to it fresh in the morning. If a night isn't long enough for you to decide, leave it a week. The aim of doing this is to regain the image you had in mind when you first started, the ultimate result you wanted to see. When you come back to your work, you will be able to compare your mind's image with what you've done, and will have your answer of too much or not enough, very bad or well done.

It's easy to undo if you're using a computer, but if you're not undoing something can be harder, if not impossible in some cases. (And if you find yourself trying to use Ctrl-Z to undo something, take a break!!!) Remember, less is more. Er, that is to say, you can always add to art, but you can't always subtract.

As to what other people say about why didn't you do this, or why did you do that... it's just their opinion, and everyone has one. But not everyone can create art. Not everyone draws, models, sculpts, airbrushes, sketches, paints YOUR work. You do. What matters more is how happy you are with the result, not them, because to me art is not about doing something to please other people, it's to please myself, because I like it, because I want to express the visions in my head, or practise my skill so I can get better, or learn a new technique... Pleasing them as well is a nice side effect, but it is not my goal.

I like hearing what people think I can do to improve my art, if they can see flaws and faults I can't, if they can think of better things to add to it or why they think I shouldn't have included *this* element. It's feedback and it's invaluable to ANY artist, and in fact in my opnion, it's MORE valuable than praise. I'm always keen to improve my technique and learn new things, and I can't do that if I am getting the impression that what I've done is 'perfect' and thus has no room for improvement. And if our opinions differ as to why something is 'wrong', that's fine too, I can choose to ignore it, because it doesn't mean they are right either, no matter how many years they have under their belt. ;)

Having said that, if Alan Lee had any such suggestions for my sketches, I'd think long and hard before ignoring them. *laughs*

[AnnaKirsten]

Good question! Sometimes it's not when to stop so much as that I sometimes do several versions of the same thing, and still cannot decide which appears to have the most impact! I then ask for another opinion, and often don't get a decision even then! All are as good as (or as abysmal as) each other! So then to make the choice of which to upload, it's a case of, OK,then, this one will do and I can always change it later!!!! lol!

Maybe sometimes we should feel the liberty to upload several versions and ask for honest opnions from the art community! Risky, but I'd have thought worth a try! (It's always difficult to take criticism when it seems maliciously intended, and this is where trust of one another comes into the scheme of things, so we know that no-one is being deliberately derisive just to make themselves feel better!)

[wile1]

Oh my gosh I've been drawing painting working with flower arrangeing sketching doodling doing so much art work since I was like 3 years old, thats mumblesomethingaboutalmost60yearsagomumble and I still never know when enough is enough.

I always go overboard I think. Most of my stuff is really full. I've always been like that right down to when I was a kid.. I remember my 5th grade art teacher Mrs Boyd lol.. oh she's still very much alive I see her off and on.. and she loved my work taught me a lot. She gave me some finger paints one day in class and said go for it.. While everyone else was doing simple little stick figure pics I came up with this huge elaborate flower arrangement. Using fingers, elbows hands and I think even my nose at one point lol.. So I've always been an overdoer!!

Graphic art online you can overdo to. Sometimes though I do something very basic and it amazes me that the simpliest things sometimes are the most beautiful!!

[Robo]

I have been doing this for one year and every time I produce something I am amazed that I did it !! and ALWAYS find things that I wish I could or should have improved but that's learning as in any craft or in life generally if we were always happy with what we created we would never learn new techniques nor strive to improve :) I am always happy to have constructive criticism to learn and improve sometimes it is hard to criticise anothers work unless genuinely sought for if it is what they intended then it is right !

P,S. Good thread Robert :)

[ppetersen]

Luckily it takes me days and sometimes weeks to finish a drawing, which is why I work on several at once. I flit between them and eventually they come out ... Sometimes (on occasion) I'll even colorize them, with either pencils or paint and thats when the overkill comes in... Not often but occasionally. I have some of my older ones that eventually will be redone, as they are way to bright and or vivid or some are a bit 'muddy' in color. I know what they need but to do it I have to start over... :)

With computer generated, again it's what my mind sees and if it's almost there but I'm not sure I'll do as others have said, save it with a '?' and a number and go back to it eventually when the right picture shows itself to me...

:) Excellent question Robert!!!

[Snow_Angel]

To the point of good or bad.. Hmm.. I guess for me I just get a feeling about something I am doing. I have like a list of things in my head that I have learned over the years on things that you should and shouldn't do when creating an image. And I usually use them as guidelines. But sometimes I throw all of it to the wind and do something totally crazy just because. Lol! Not that often however.. I lean to the more conservative side of art. I often choose to settle on if it is a pleasing composition. Bad to me is when I feel that my image lacks any relevant meaning or imagination. Great thought provoking Question Robert :)

[danr]

My 2 cents worth: I've only been doing artwork (fractal artwork) for about
3 months. I've never done any artwork in my entire life. I can't even draw. I discovered that computer artwork isn't that difficult to create. The difficulty resides in if the image you create is good, mediocre, or bad.
What everyone says is true. With computers, if you mess up a drawing or painting you can usually undo your mistake, for the most part.

I have had some people tell me that :"You need to do this.... or.... it needs that" .... etc.

At first, I took those comments too seriously. Some of them did help me and some of them irritated me. There were some very good comments that gave me ideas, tho. Now that my work is progressing, the comments are getting more intricate, which makes it more difficult for me to think: Is this image any good at all?

I am always learning and I like comments, good or bad. I am also too hard on myself when it comes to 'is this image any good?' I've learned that when you work on a piece for 15 hours, you lose sight of the overall picture. You need to step back, come back to it... then look at it. Just my opinion which I notice happens with me, mostly on a piece that takes me a whole day to do.

Just my own observation and opinion on the images I have done in the short time I have been doing them.

It is nice when people love your work. You feel like all the time and effort was worth it, and you feel good. One thing I find interesting....Let's say you create a masterpiece. You are in the limelight for maybe a day or two.
After that.... your painting just becomes another piece of work.
Seems as tho the 'public' has a short memory and they forget your work
and discover a new 'masterpiece' to adore.

An afterthought: I do know when an image is hopeless and you just can't do anything with it to get it looking good.... especially with Apo. Sometimes you try to beat a fractal to death, trying to make it become something. Eventually... you just move on to something new.

Anyways.... those are my thoughts.

Dan

[Robin]

Dan.the first thing, in my opinion, is too simply create the art that you like..it doesnt matter about others opinions so much..art is so subjective that one may love something you have done and another may not like it at all. dont get too wrapped up in others opinions..take any advice you think worthy, use it as you see fit, look at others art becuz that is where you will learn so much. but...remember..create the art for you first. and keep it up..you are doing fine!

robin

[wile1]

How true Robin!

You should see the amount of art I do and never show.. I delete a lot, because I don't like it. And if Im not happy with it I don't think anyone else will be!

[EyeSpy]

About 20 years ago, I entered a favorite photo in a citywide contest. My photo won second place and I was thrilled. As I was discussing the work with a few of the judges, one judge mentioned that he would have voted the photo First Place if it had been cropped tighter. A few minutes later, another judge said he would have given it First Place if I hadn't cropped so tight.

Go figure.

The moral of this story?

Work to your own likes and expectations. Celebrate the opinions of those who agree with you, and just say, "Well, thanks for looking." to those who don't!

I was lucky to learn this lesson early on. It's certainly saved me a lot of agonizing through the years.

[Robin]

and....like Lou Ann said: I, too, delete way more images and art works than I post or ever show..I am my worst critic..and if I don't like, there is a good chance no one else will either! right on, Lou Ann...and, Dan, do your own thing!