A couple of blogs ago, I gave you the step-by-step progression of the pastel I did in Budapest. The painting wasn’t completed and I promised to share the finishing process with you. Well I finally got back to it on Sunday…then again on Monday. Hmmmmm. Every time I worked on it, I thought, Ah yes, much better. Then I’d come back to the studio and my first reaction was, What was I thinking?! And I’d work on it again. This happened a few times. Then finally I decided, Yes, it’s finished! But then I returned and yet again decided, Nope, not done. It was then that I realized that what I needed to do was crop the picture! Why hadn’t I seen that before? The weird thing is, I think I knew all along, right from the start, that I should have made the figures larger or at least moved them up a bit.
Let’s have a look.
So, here’s where you come in!! I have two crop options below. Please leave a comment saying whether you prefer A or B. Let’s hear your vote! And if you have any other thoughts you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them.
While working on this pastel, I recorded my thoughts about what I could see and what I thought I needed to do.
Was this of any value? I’d love to know.
So, before you leave, tell me: Option A or B?
And did you enjoy the recording?
Until next time,
~ Gail
PS. I had originally thought of adding a third option (Option C) but didn’t want to complicate things. But having read Rita’s comment below, I’ve decided to add it after the fact.
54 thoughts on “When All Else Fails, Crop!”
I like crop A. Thank you this was informative and yes I enjoyed the recording, it goes along with the blogpost.
Thank you I love your blog.
Thanks Cindy. Glad there was something to learn from the blog and that you enjoyed the recording. And I am so glad to know you enjoy my blog!
I prefer A. I also like B, but the lack of the roof gives B the appearance of a fence; the slope above A, however, suggests a tent and adds a festive feeling to the already pleasant atmosphere that infuses the scene.
Thanks David. I think that’s the way I am feeling about the crop options too!
Hi, I would say stick to the original as much as possible. On location inspiration
makes for art with more truth. Truth always makes for better art. Just saying. Something can be askew, but when it is as we saw it to be, it freshness is always better then when we start analyzing in artistic terms, to make it more more conforming to our ideas of artistic rules and conventions. There is such a sense of beauty in imediacy, even when we break the rules of artistic convention. The watercolors of Sargent in Venice come to mind, as well as the drawings and watercolors of Van Gogh. Capturing spontaneity is such a difficult task in hindsight. I often find my sketchbooks to be more lovely then anything I create in the studio. I guess it is because of it’s honesty and immediacy. Truth in art, is somehow more beautiful then the best planned paintings.
Michele, thanks for your thoughts about art and truth. Totally agree. And I know what you mean about sketchbooks. Quite often I look back and am delighted by what I see even though, at the time, I didn’t think much of what I was doing.
Option A is the better choice in my opinion. It allows a circular movement through the painting, starting with the focal figure, the woman on the right. The line then moves upward, sweeps to the left by virtue of the curve on the tree, comes down the tree on the left, down past the figure on the left, across the bag and back upwards. A restful circular pattern never leaving the painting. If you had left the columns, it would have cut the painting in half. I love the interplay with light on the two women. If anything, maybe tone down the background of people and umbrella even more, to keep the focus on the foreground?? Maybe? Hope this helps. Gorgeous work.
Ute, thanks for your detailed analysis of the painting! My eye goes in the opposite direction but both take the circular pattern and that’s the idea. I agree about the columns – with them, the whole upper half would have been another picture on it’s own. I think the background is a bit more toned down in real life than it is in the photo but I will have a look for sure. Thanks for your suggestions and glad you like the work 🙂
I like option B. I found the point of the umbrella was a distraction that led the eye away from the two main characters chatting together in the foreground.
Thanks Mary-Anne for your choice and why you made that choice. I love going back to look at the painting and seeing what you and others see.
You are not painting a snapshot but a whole story.
You are so right Carole. Thanks for the reminder!
I prefer the uncropped version: number 6. For me the cropped versions feel too hemmed in, especially B.
Thanks for your input Kerry. Sometimes one can be too close to one’s art and it’s best to leave it alone for awhile.
Personally I prefer ‘A’ because ‘B’ seems to me too condesed unless you crop it even tighter at either side. My only other comments would be that the conifer tree to the left in ‘A’ should be toned down (made cooler) but its shape with the figure sitting in front helps to lead the eye to the subject(s).
Thanks Ray. Good idea about making the tree on left cooler – I actually ended up making it warmer trying to cut back the green and bringing in some of the warm colours seen in the women!
Nice work! I prefer version A.
Thanks Wendy!
Gail, I prefer A. I think the triangular umbrella shape adds interest without being distracting. When the umbrella is cropped out, my eye goes directly to the shadow that starts at yellow-shirt’s head.
What’s YOUR favorite?
Thanks Catherine. I am not sure yet which is my fav but I do like the indication of a bit more of the sense of place so leaning to A. But I’ll give it some sitting time.
I like b.
Thanks Lorraine 🙂
B. I do not need that much background to get the sense of place and this option helps me focus on the figures and their interaction.
Thanks Linda. Thanks for explaining your choice.
B
Hey thanks Eleanor!
I decided after listening to your comments that I would choose crop B. I chose this because you said that you felt that the background was unimportant to the “story”.
In crop B there is less of a background. I do like seeing the top of the umbrella in crop A.
Personally, crop A is giving me, the viewer more information about where the subjects are as in a park with something going on back there that maybe they are resting from attending or discussing what they saw or planning the next move as the man sits maybe tired or bored. I want to walk back to the umbrella and see what’s going on. Sandi
Loved your analysis for both options Sandi. I think I was a bit off the mark to say the background had nothing to do with the story. I still think in a way that’s true BUT I did place it in a location in Budapest which means something AND leaving some of the background in gives viewers a chance to create their own story about what’s going on, just like you did. Thanks Sandi!!
Option B
Thanks Marianne!
B
Thanks Wendy 🙂
My vote is B.
That was a really swell lesson for anyone. I enjoyed your thought process and the outcome. We do sometimes get bogged down with a thought or idea and forget how to think it out to the best advantage.
Thanks Sharyn both for your vote and for your appreciation of the lesson!
I definitely like choice B the roof of the building otherwise conflicts with the figures… it is the same color, and points out of the painting! Taking the top of the building away makes a huge difference!
Thanks Jill. I appreciate your input and thoughts. Gives me more to ponder….
I would like to see all of them together on the same page
That would make things easier. Maybe what I’ll do is make three small image posts across the page. Thanks Bernadette!
Cropped picture A would be my choice
🙂 Thanks Marnie!
Thank you for sharing this. It is so informative and reassuring. I went through a similar process on a painting I did recently of a street musician in New Orleans and it was great to give myself permission to step back, make big changes and eventually crop it to a point where I liked the composition and focus.’
At first I liked A best but after looking at them side by side it looked like the umbrella and tree on the right had been decapitated, so now prefer B. I think the additional figure adds a lot to the composition.
Thanks again!
Gill, glad you found this post useful and reassuring. Some paintings just work right off the bat while others? not so much. I always find it a bit unnerving to make changes but if it’s not working, what have you got to lose? Thanks for your input on choices. And thanks for the vote for the additional figure. I kept wondering if I should leave him in but I do think he adds both compositionally and narratively.
I’d go even a bit further with it… (wish I could attach an image!) Try cropping down to eliminate the yellow umbrella completely, so you can just see the little colors above the fence line. Then also crop in on the left to cut off the edge of the fir tree so there’s just a tad of space next to the man sitting. this will also crop off the extra curve of the fountain at the lower left of the painting which IMO wasn’t important.
But this was a great post! Really gets your readers thinking! Thanks!
Rita, funny you should talk about making an even tighter crop. I did that and was going to add it as a third option but thought it would be easier with just two. I also wasn’t sure if I should then eradicate the man in the background worrying he would now be too distracting. I will now add the third crop as a PS so others can see it. Should have included it I guess! Thanks for input!! And yes, it seems to have struck a chord and got everyone thinking. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a massive influx of comments before. LOVE IT!!
Hi Gail , I think the image B is better but I”m only an amateur. Just feels better to ma eye.
The recording is good. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Jane.
Thanks Jane. I think going with a feeling is always a good idea! Glad you enjoyed the recording 🙂
I like A best, I think the background looks good now on A.
Thanks for this process.
Because I was in a hurry and not feeling well, I did not listen to all of the audio
but it was well done.
Thanks Linda. The audio is there whenever you want to listen to. It does go on a bit long but that’s cos I kept thinking it was finished…and then it wasn’t and I had to work on it yet again!
I like A, because I love the background. Great post, great painting. The only thing I want different are those green shoes by the fountain. They just look too tidy for that woman to have placed them there … I think she’s the kick off the shoes type! 🙂
M.
Thanks Marla!!! Laughed when I read about the shoes. I think the other woman could have put them there neatly. The gesticulating woman, well, her shoes have been kicked off and just aren’t in the picture!
I like the original… mainly because the figures are part of the scene. If you take the scene away, then there needs to be more work on the figures as they would then be the entire focus of attention.
Thanks Sharon. Interesting perspective. I still haven’t decided what to do!
Option C ! Forgive my tardiness in my attempt to catch up with your posts, please. I am loving (and learning from) all that you do. Wow!
Thanks for playing along Genie! Option C has definitely grown on me 🙂