With Prayer Or Not?

In my opinion either one is fine, however I like the Mantra better. On the Awakened, it seems there is a lot of blank space at the top. If you keep that one, I'd suggest cropping the top a little. Nice work BTW

I prefer the Mantra one, too. But I'm not sure sure why you can't offer both.

one of each. not everyone wants writing, though it's pretty subtle anyway, i wouldn't have noticed it if you didn't point it out. but i'd offer both anyway.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Both are really nice, but I like the Mantra one better.

I could keep both, i don't like to have lots of versions of the same piece. I know a lot of people show there art with lots of variations. I was also worried the writing did not fit in well. That is why i kept it very subtle.

A bonus on these are they show well as a small picture!

I vote for the top one as well. I like the writing.

I enjoy it more with the calligraphy. It has more meaning that way. Of course I can not read it, but it must be something deep & significant.

The mantra or prayer is Om Mani Padme Hum it is the most common of all Buddhist mantras and is used to invoke the blessings of Chenrezig , the Buddhist deity that represents ultimate compassion. This prayer is repeated as part of meditation.

when i see the first one with the prayer, i think of posters to that country. the second one need something to fill that void over its head, but it may be better for some.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Speaking as a Buddhist, with the mantra - as someone looking at pieces of art, put both up!

I like them both and would use both, but on Awakened I would crop a bit off the top

Ryan,
My opinion: I like both, but since you asked for a critique: I think the one with the prayer / mantra is a stronger composition. The green in the upper right balances the composition - balances the green in the lower left and adds weight to the upper half of the image. Also, the horizontal of the entire block of print stops the eye from going up off the page, and some of the lines in the calligraphy lead the viewer's eye back into the picture, whereas with only the yellow background pattern, my eye tends to follow the "arrow" of the head upward and escape off the page.

I don't always agree with jurors' comments - obviously no one comment should be applied to every piece of art. One juror comment that I found interesting and useful, (on someone else's art) for a juried show: bring the colors all the way around the painting to create a balanced composition, and to create a more integral whole.

I like them both. I would offer both too. If you don't like that empty space on the second one, you could always add butterflies! :)

Ryan, I really like these a lot. My preference is for the one with the mantra for the same reasons that other people have already stated. And, I also agree with the input given above that the one without the mantra would work a little better if the top were cropped a bit to balance the space out.