Regular Commenters !

Welcome, Kelly!
Keep in mind that I rent full suits of armor for particularly rough days here ;)

It's a forum, not a blog...just so you know ;)

Yes, I'm noticing thick skin is a requirement for this site! Starting to apply my second layer now!

Forum.... got it!

This is not my first barbeque.

Have fun with it.

Dave

You can speak your mind here (but keep religion and politics out of it)...as long as you're not excessively rude or accusatory. I think there's a high degree, overall, of respect here for different opinions. That's mostly because the moderators do not let things get out of hand and will call a person out if they step over the boundaries. They don't let threads become poisonous insult fests that ultimately make people fearful of posting and drive people away.

Great point Joy! Myself, if it did get tooooooo personal and nasty, I'd be gone. My skin is not that thick!

I find it easier to just ignore the repeat offenders.

This is one of the mildest forums I've participated in, because of the no religion or politics rule, and the moderators do a GREAT job with just a 'whip and a chair'.

I have been enjoying the forum a lot lately and hadn't used it a who lot. I do more reading of it then anything. Honestly it scares me to ask for a critique. I have been given helpful tips and am grateful for that. I agree about the comments and them giving a good laugh. I also know my work isn't to the level as some on here but it's nice to have others advice to help get it there.

Jan,
I'd suggest choosing someone you'd trust in your genre and contact them privately for a critique. You might have to line up a few before someone agrees.
If you have a local arts group where critique is part of the learning process, it will also be less threatening.
Good luck!

Ditto what Jim said. Love your attitude, Kelly ...

Why sit on Facebook when this is more informative and entertaining!

Rudeness is often in the way an individual reads the message. Just don't take things personal and you'll be fine.

Very true Marlene and thank you! For now I will just keep trying to improve with the tips I read. I do plenty of critique of my own work in my head lol

It's a good place to bounce ideas off one another.

I've learned a lot about being an artist, because I never considered myself one. I felt anyone could do what I do.

When it comes to working in television, that's another ballgame.

This forum has helped me in so many ways. We snark a little, but it's a long way from forums that have regular flame wars. Overall, it's a nice place to ask for advice and discuss sales strategies and critique/help each other. Welcome!

Jan,
That is the best news....if you can already critique your own work, you don't need other people's opinions.
Just keep producing and analyzing.
Being brave enough to have others critique your work is a non-issue.

HERE HERE!!!! J L Well said!

Hi, Kelly. This forum is one of the reasons I love being on FAA. If you can make your way past all the recent image dumps (uh oh... snark there, sorry), there is a lot of great information to be had. I've learned so much through these threads, and members are very generous with their advice. I'm grateful to be able to log in here every day and see what's up! Sometimes, not much, other times -- well, let's just say it can be quite entertaining!

Thank you Patricia, I have to say I have been entertained a bit on this forum! I've also learned some info too! I do not know the proper lingo I should be using and I have learned this is not a blog but a forum........I should really look up what that means..........

I am not snarky but I do tease a bit sometimes, Like I pick on Kathleen Bishop because I still want to know how she did with her cotton steady shot, and I think I made JC Mad because I said something about how something tastes on his thread about protecting something, But I am always just picking, no matter how harsh it may sound-usually if you see a comment that seems harsh it will footnote another comment or thread where I am teasing someone and the single comment is actually only part of the larger discussion.

I have learned tons reading the Discussion boards here (aka forum) I was trying really hard to get the grasp of photographing hummingbirds, so I posted my first thread, and got some fab responses and am now never photographing hummingbirds again and my skin peeled from the burns-that is a joke, I photograph them all of the time and have gotten much better.

So anyway I have ADD, PTSD and some other choice accronyms, so I am just weird :) Welcome to the discussion.

Kelly,

Never be afraid to ask questions here. Just be ready to decide which answers you want to react to. You can always email people privately and skip the "chaff"!

Many of us are here because of this forum and not just for sales or potential sales.

So put on your"hardhat" and join us!

Rich

Are you "man" enough? Post a critique request on your gallery or a particular image. Mike Savad is one of my favorite contributors. He has all the social graces of a frank sociopath, but his honesty and insight is great, as is his willingness to contribute his time. Take everything he says seriously, just disregard any thought that he's being mean. He's not. In fact, maybe most of that description can apply to many of the best critics on this forum. Note that we also have groups dedicated to critiques that you can join.

I've got my hard hat on!!!!! I ask for a critique on this eagle watercolor! This is one of my favorite, but I'm ready. Actually it really would be great to get my work critiqued!

Ok. To me, the photo of your painting seems too low in contrast, and greyish overall. I would like to see more contrast, and brighter. Again, In my opinion it is likely a problem with the photo of your painting, not the painting itself.

Conceptually, it looks to me like the eagle dropped the fish. So the title and the pose is confusing. "The one that got away" might make more sense to me. But I could be entirely wrong about that. I suppose the fish may have just jumped first because there is a splash. I've never seen a fish land sideways like that after jumping, and then the eagle is about to grab the fish. So the "story" seems complex in this image.

One of my favorite of your images is the perfect puddle jump, but I think there is an anatomy problem there. Based on the legs, we're seeing the child from behind, and she has her arms reaching back behind her. But in that case, the thumbs should be on the Bottom of the hand, but they are on top!

Kelly,

Excellent detailed work.

What are your marketing ideas for your work?
Before you answer that most of us keep much of the marketing ideas
that are very specific to ourselves. We use our AW's to keep our clients
in our own hands. In general terms how will you market it?

Dave

Gregory, yup! You sure were honest alright. I read every word you wrote! As an amazing photographer you would notice those details. I will take a look at the thumbs again for sure. The eagle painting was my imagination, so maybe a little more studying of the subject is required! I do thank you for your critiquing though.

David, thank you so much for your comment! My marketing is I have a personal website for my Originals. I have 6 Original paintings that was purchased for a website Art Gallery. The prints of course is depending on FAA. ALOT of plugging on twitter, Google and Facebook...... That's all I know! so thank......Kelly

Kelly,

Welcome! Nice image!

As Gregory mentioned, just a bit of tweaking to brighten the image and add some contrast. If there is an actual "white" in the image and you have something like Photpshop, you can find the "eyedropper" tool and click on the white and read "how" white your copy image is and then bring up the entire image brightness, until the white reads around 240 or so. Really, up to you, since YOU know how white it should be. Then you can either add some saturation,which will also add some contrast, or just add contrast.

Always when adjusting, go past where you think it should be and then come back. This way, you'll know how much too much is and looks like!

Rich

I agree with Gregory the eagle looks like dropping the fish instead of catching it. If the eagle about to catch the fish his claws should be more open and extended not closed. I noticed many of your paintings the backgrounds seem to be neglected. Especially on this one the light brown background with its unfinished edge just looks sloppy. You should spent more time study the use of colors, light and background treatment on your painting.

Alfred! It was a good thing I had my hard hat on! I also think I just grew 2 extra layers of skin .....OUCH!

I really am listening to all your suggestions. And I might ignore a few! Painting is a love of mine, not a career! I will improve over time and over a lot of paintings and even the backgrounds! Alrighty, that's all I have to say about that!

Thick skin? A requirement here? Hahahahahahahahaha !

This is one of the mildest forums that I have ever participated in consistently. In other words, you ain't seen nothin' where "thick skin" is a requirement, so enjoy your illusion of toughness here. (^_^)

How thick are your skin layers, if you already require a second? May I suggest an SPF 45, instead of your current SPF 15? Here "SPF" means ..."Skin ... Protection Factor", ... NOT the usual "Sun Protection Factor". Discussions, like the sun, can burn you. You just have to learn how to protect yourself, as you bask in the delightful rays of insight here.

Kelly, before you take any critiques to heart. Make sure you consider the source. Take a look at their art and if that's the style you like and are striving for, listen to THAT artist. IF not youll get conflicting information. Someones opinion may take your art in the direction you dont want it to go.

Thick skin? Maybe, maybe not.

However, a sense of humor certainly goes a long way. Just sayin.....

More seriously: Melissa has a very good point in "considering the source" of any critique.



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~ Bill
~ US Pictures .com