Want To Help Figure Out What's Wrong With This Painting?

Question

I finished this late last night and as I look at it I know there’s something wrong here. I’m not talking about the subject matter or message. But something is terribly off. And for the life of me I can't figure it out. Is it perhaps in the perspective? The color schemes? The table and chairs or the plants? What do you see oddly off-kilter here?

http://pics.livejournal.com/unmired/pic/000309qd/g11

(You can click to enlarge the image if that will help.)

Thank you.

Well she wouldn't have a shadow because she's standing back in a darkened room. But the perspective is certainly off. How about raising the height of the door? Or are the chairs and table too small?

Tile on the floor sounds like a winner. What about the chairs and table? Do they seem to small in perspective to the girl?

Answer 1

I agree the lady seems flat, like floatting and there are no shadows at all

Sorry, I'm not an expert, that is just my pointy of view


=0)
Good luck

Answer 2

The girl is not grounded and floats over a flat field. If you want, give her a shadow...and maybe the plants and table/chairs too. The floor she's standing on and the wall behind her do not receed into space. Make the black darker and gradiate the floor so that it gets darker as it goes back. Next time, dont make the grey with black...use the colors you will be using (in this case, blues and greens) - and mix them with their complements (orange and red) for a richer color and some warmth. Right now its monochromatic in all cool colors (even the grey is cool.) Text must always be perfect...and yours looks good - except over the door shouldn't look so hand drawn (her sign should - so its okay) Finally, your subject is centered which is usually avoided to avoid too much symetry. Having said all that, I like it. Any of the above mentioned devices are often used intentionally. I think I might give her a shadow, improve the sign over the door, and try to warm it up a bit somehow. But remember, if you introduce a warm color, you must repeat it at least 3 times - and if you do, do it in a way that will not accentuate the symmatry.

Answer 3

Look at the composition! What is your centre of interest or focus?
You have too many objects of around the same size. The composition is very planear [parallel to the picture surface.] Cutting off the signs in the way you have is bad composition. It draws your eye away from the content of the picture. Your eye keeps trying to read the remainder of the sign. Unsettling. There is little in the way of tonal or colour contrast.You have given equal value [tone and colour] to every element of the composition. Needs some variety. I would re-draft with the girl and doorway larger and to left, signs smaller and less distinct, chairs and table into foreground and to right. Introduce a light source from right or left to create some shadow and allow modelling of forms with tone. It is not the perspective because you have not used any! Try sketching the individual objects in the picture and then cut them out as individual pieces. Now you can push them around on a sheet, overlap, etc. to see some new possibilities. Do not give up! Just take a fresh look!

Answer 4

the painting appears flat. i cant tell if the figure is in the background or middle ground. one way to fix this is by bringing things in the foreground more in focus than things in the background. also, what Da Vinci called perspective of disappearance says that the further things are in space the more air there is between that object and the viewer creating a haze that sort of blurs the object. an effective way of rendering atmospheric perspective is by making things in the background have a blue tint and hazy. and at the same time give objects closer to the viewer a warm value. this will push and pull things creating a more believable depth. remember, objects that sit on the same plane will have the same tonal value. for example, the door step that sits in light will not have the same tonal value as the floor in the back ground. keep light source in mind. is there only one, or is there light in the building? that is all.

Answer 5

I think it has something to do with the perspective inside the cafe. It sort of looks like the floor is at a slant. I also get the feeling that the "viewer" is real tall or floating on air. But other than that it's a nice work.

Making the door taller might help.

Answer 6

I like this. I like the message. I cannot say anything is WRONG with it for how can I say that your interpretation of your idea is wrong? But two things struck me: the look on her face and her stance.

She almost appears to be asking if she is not for sale rather than telling you she is not for sale.

Note the bent head and slumped over shoulders? With your message, I would almost expect that she would have a more confident demeanor in both head position and body stance. I would enjoy it more with a perhaps different color scheme, perhaps some dark reds or pinks around the woman, or in the table setting.
I like this, and I hope you finish it to your own satisfaction, and that whatever your final outcome, you come back to share it.

Answer 7

Thats a cool painting. Looks really good. The only things that stuck out to me a little was the odd shape of the potted plant's pot and leaves and the shape of the legs of the chairs.

Answer 8

As they weren't painted earlier you may't relatively fix them and not utilising a professional finisher. in spite of in case you sanded the paint off you may ought to refinish them with something. stay with it. You made a mistake. it relatively is not the tip of the international. all of us make blunders. you're Dad gets over it.

Answer 9

paintings is very nice. but you didn't show any shadow of chairs, tables & lady. inside room the floor showd little bit height. you can show this floor as tiles . sothat the room appeares tobe lengthy

Answer 10

NICE WORK!! I LOVE IT!!

I'm no expert. So I don't exactly feel comfortable giving you suggestions, but it I WERE to make one I would say Maybe you need a little more texture in the doorway maybe tile on the floor or something like that????
Please don't be offended. I really do love it.

like I said I'm no expert.

I do think you have great talent!!!