Want To Critique My ‘Gucci’ Painting?

Question

There’s something about it I’m not happy with. I already have an idea what it is and how to fix it. But I thought you guys might want to add your two cents worth. Also, do you think the message is a little too subtle?

The colors are much more vivid in real life but my stupid digital camera doesn’t know this. Hopefully, you’ll get the general idea. and, as always, you can click on the image to enlarge it.

http://pics.livejournal.com/unmired/pic/0006ag65/g79

Thanks for any input and please be honest.

Miss Madam, they are poor children of the street, not women.

The the building is a copy of the Gucci Store on 5th. Avenue in New York City as it is today.

Mother_Nature_Mommie, thank you for your honestly. Yes, the painting is stark. It's supposed to be. I'm trying to show how, in a land of abundance like America, that we can't seem to help those who really need a helping hand.

The problem I have is with the glass doors. I wanted to show them as being somewhat forbidding (the reason for the darkened blues) and yet still be as transparent as glass is supposed to be. The only solution I can think of now is to lighten up the reflection of the glass. As it stands now it just seems too 'muddy' to me.

DW, I just happened to see a photograph of the front door of 'Gucci' in New York and wanted to paint it for several months. Then several weeks ago I was looking through some old depression era photographs and thought the children would make a nice contract in a painting between two very at odd levels of our socity.

Answer 1

OK... This is much more gloomy than most of your work. You don't have to ad to that by adding 'artistic tricks' so to speak. The subject is heavy enough.

I mean: Just paint that revolving door as 'Gucci' as you can make it. Do not make it ... unwelcome or something. The contrast between the girls and the door could not be greater if it was this magnificent doorway welcoming anybody ...with cash in their pockets.

See what I mean? I think that way your street girls would stick out even more.

Another 'problem' is your shading...or lack their of. This isn't a problem in your other paintings but the Gucci logo kinda makes it one in this painting because it does have shading build in. Don't go breaking your style by adding shade. I would suggest 'flattening' the Gucci logo by making the 'shades' lighter so the whole logo has this one shade of grey/blue. Try this digitally before doing it in paint so you can see if it actually gets better....I think it will be but I'm known to be wrong once in a while. ;-)

Almost forgot to say: Nice piece of work. I'd like the girls a bit more faceless. like you almost don't see them as people but as some smear blocking your view to beauty.

Answer 2

That was just an attempt!? Man, looks like you have acrylics down to me. I think it's a great painting and I don't think they would be disappointed with it at all. Probably the only thing I'd might touch up was the green outline, I mean unless you think it looks alright, and I would have said add more high-lights, but I remembered Elephant skin is pretty dull and doesn't have many, so I'd say there's not much left to do to it. Might give a bit more depth to add a little bit darker shading, but I would be scared to do to much as it could mess up the contrast, so I really don't see where there is too much to touch up, it seems complete and I think it has a lot of character and it def does have a oriental look, just snap in it in a oriental style frame and it'll be perfect. MQ- The only ones that come to mind is Elephant Man by Mastodon, or I guess I could say Trampled Under Hoof, also by Mastodon.

Answer 3

The message isn't coming across in a very stimulating or creative way. It's too obvious. How about small scale paintings of half-naked corpses of young insurgents wearing Gucci loafers? Yikes! You can use that idea. Or charge a pair of Gucci loafers, take dozens of Polaroids of you and your friends going to Orange Julius or stepping out of a Hyundai Accent, while wearing them; just have a crazy day with them. Then return them. Make sure you photo copy the receipt, it'll be part of the piece. You can have that idea too.

By the way, making luxury goods isn't evil in itself, it's the fools who pursue such items, they're the real trouble.

Answer 4

For some reason it just pissed me off. Not sure is part of the point or not. The colors and style of the work. You might want to consider putting some more shading on the sidewalk. It's detracting from the picture as a whole. My eye kind of settled in there. Sorry if I come off as picking on you. Just giving you my two cents. Hopefully someday you can give me yours 8^)

Answer 5

I had to look at your other pieces in your online gallery to see why you felt this was a weaker piece. This is much more straightforward and literal than the other pieces, which have either have a graphic level of abstraction, or a sort of folk surrealism. What's magic about those doors?

Answer 6

To be sincere I believe is very good. I just want to see more clearly the person in the entrance. The composition is OK and the filling is cold.
I'm back to paint again. I'm a frustrated painter that end in architecture. I hate and love my profession.

Answer 7

It's the women for me, I think you should have painted flappers to go with the art deco look of the building in my opinion.

**** off thumb downing trolls, I'm allowed to have an opinion.

Oh poor children of the street, sorry didn't notice.
I still would prefer 1920's flappers but that's my style.

Answer 8

The point that you expressed does not come across to me. you said that you wanted the doors to look forbidding... Seems like if you made them sparkly and inviting .... like this is what "EVERYONE WANTS" or even tried to show sparkly material possessions ... it would convey the concept or the contrast in ideas better.
making the door forbidding... just doesn't contrast with the poverty ... alas, I think the point is lost...
just my opinion.

Answer 9

Hmm...