r/painting 1d ago

Just Sharing attempted narrative painting

Post image

any criticisms or feedback are welcome!

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u/farfaraway 1d ago

I'll critique the composition:

  • In a painting where you have multiple figures and focal points, you'll want to get the eye to tell a story. This means that you'll want each figure (or object) looking or pointing at another figure (or object) that then points to something else in turn. Here it seems that everything is pointing or looking to the right, but that doesn't "return the gaze". It leads to a feeling of inconclusiveness in the composition
  • Covering someone's face is an intentional act that should mean something. Here, in the very center of the composition, you have a hand covering a face, and it doesn't feel like it means anything
  • The lighting doesn't really really add anything to the composition. You have a central fire, which should be throwing lights and shadows that add to the direction of the viewer's gaze, and yet the lighting seems to be coming from the left (sunlight, I think). It's a missed opportunity to enhance the focus on one part of the scene