Oil on canvas, 20" x 24"I actually finished this painting a couple of months ago, but wasn't that happy with it- the bottom part of it seemed dead to me. Then I was looking at it yesterday and thought maybe if I cropped a couple of inches off the bottom it might be improved.
Not a big difference, I know, but if you have an opinion about which looks better, let me know.
Not a big difference, I know, but if you have an opinion about which looks better, let me know.
7 comments:
Kathy,
I prefer the first. In the second one, I feel the figures with their reflection divide the space too evenly(semetrically)and also in the first the additional space helps with the feeling of outdoors and space. Maybe you have looked at it too much or have a different design since than me. I do like the economy used in painting this painting. I think this is quite different for you.
Steve would like the cropped version- dividing the canvas in half is a challenge he often likes to test/play with, and you have successfully accomplished it-- because of the other angles and motion and color. I like the deeper foreground because I start there, and my eye (and my emotions) are drawn in a lackadaisacal approach to the center of activity; this motion reminds me of how we are supposed to feel at the beach, so it fits.
I like the second one because I think the reflections close to the foreground is visually exciting, sort of makes the eye bounce back and forth between the relfected head and the edge. However, I d do think the lead-in distance of the first one is a keeper. Soooo, I think I'd elongate the reflections in first one to reach closer to the foreground as in the second one...?
I like the first one better!
Kathy,
The second one is a much more classical composition. The rule of thirds applies quite nicely to the second painting and I think we are conditioned better to realize images in a rectangular shape. Amazing how a simple crop can change the composition so dramatically.
Ed
I like the uncropped one better and think that the composition needs the extra weight at the bottom to lead the eye in - maybe if you just painted out the bit of sand in the very foreground. That might work to give you the effect of the cropped one with the original proportions intact.
Thank you all for your input! Excellent comments, even though there doesn't seem to be any consensus. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with it, maybe I'll turn it to the wall for another month and see how it looks then.
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