So I guess it's OK to ask for critiques here... I've done some landscapes,

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

and they're kind of weird, but I'd appreciate comments. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Gert13KTbnrVxbAe8

[Kali]

1. 404 error

[lunatica]

2. I'm getting an error page

[hlthe2b]

3. I think you have to have a google account to view and I don't

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I fixed the link (?). If that doesn't work I'll post them some other way.

[tblue37]

4. Can't access. Google wants me to sign in, but I forgot the password, since I've not used it for

years.

Could you maybe upload to a more easily accessible site? I'd love to see your work.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Fixed the link, I think.

[Hoyt]

7. It's working now. Great work.

[msongs]

8. not so weird. snow with ducks is my fave of these. nice colors nt

[katmondoo]

9. Loved them. What medium are you using?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. Oil and water color (not together).

Farm, beach, ghost town, sunrise, path at night are water color with a bit of colored pencil, the others are oil.

[Scarsdale]

66. Lovely paintings.

I could not choose a favorite, since I liked all of them. So much talent on display, keep posting please.

[CatMor]

10. Great subject matter picks ...

these are interesting instead of uninspiring landscapes. You certainly have talent. I like your technique.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

12. Wow!

Very nice! I make art too, but yours is so much more 'arty' than mine! Seriously, it's very good!

[hlthe2b]

13. I like your work...

My favorites? The winter scene with the ducks for sure. And the spring/summer field of brightly colored flowers. Nice

The first one with the storm moving in on a Fall day definitely conveys the sense of the wind picking up.

The two that convey solitude and a bit of loneliness are the barren trees across the lake (nice work on the trees btw) and the seemingly vacant buildings in sepia colors.


All good. Kudos!

[handmade34]

14. not weird

good color (esp. drive with autumn leaves at end)… all realistic with enough dreaminess to be aesthetically pleasing

[Polly Hennessey]

15. You are seriously talented.

There is a haunting quality to your work. I would love to have all of them in my home.

[lunatica]

16. They're very good

You’re abilities show a mastery of color, shape and composition so that the eye is drawn into various components making the viewer pause with interest to see it all. Your use of perspective captures distance well and your use of detail ties everything together and shows many of your landscapes as being vast, stretching into the distance.

There is strength and boldness in your depiction of color and shapes, but there is also a subtle treatment of your skies which sets much of the mood for each painting. I find that quite interesting because I have a great appreciation of how skies are depicted.

Your landscapes have a stillness that makes them soothing and quiet which has an effect on the viewer that enhances the sense of wanting to pause and observe.

If there is anything I would say might bring out more it would be to become more comfortable with widening your spectrum on light and shading. Push your boundaries a little on that and see if you like the result. Make the source of light more defined.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

23. Thanks for the excellent suggestion. I'll be exploring more landscape ideas

and will work on lighting in particular. Nobody outside my art class had seen these so I do appreciate the input.

[lunatica]

41. You do have some really dark shading in your purple flowers

so you aren’t averse to using very deep shadows. That was true with your painting of the peeled orange where the bottom part of the painting is pretty black. What you might explore is the light side of the objects.

In my opinion the light masters to really look at are the impressionists since their objective was to paint how light itself plays on the world.

Just don’t stop painting.

[GemDigger]

17. Fantastic!!

I love them all but the winter scene with the snow geese (?) stole my heart.

Nothing at all weird, they are fantastic. If they were sold at a arts n crafts fair, I would buy several.

[Grey]

18. I do like your work.

Your pictures are really good...

[yonder]

19. The orange on the shelf woke me up the other day.

With this collection, I'm wide awake with big eyes.

This amateur appreciates your serious talent.

[littlemissmartypants]

20. Beautiful. You have a wonderful gift. ❤ nt

[bif]

21. Very nice work!

I like your use of color.

[mopinko]

22. they really have a lot going for them.

i sorta have a quirky sense of composition, myself, and i would say that, to me, the symmetry of them is stiff. symmetry is basically appealing to humans, but it also tends to be very static. sometimes you want that, but i think generally, you want to drag people into the composition. esp landscapes.

i would recommend this-make yourself a little view finder, a rectangle cut from cardboard, and look through it at the canvases. move it around, and crop the images in your mind, and see if you can find where things flow, and where they hang up.
the fibonacci sequence is a good way to focus attention. try imposing that over the paintings, too.

you have a gift. you have a good strong hand. now exercise your eye.
cuz it really is in your eye.

keep going. do more. share them here.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. Thanks for your input!

I left people out intentionally, except for the one of the path at night, because I wanted to focus on the landscape forms. I was also aiming for a static, slightly stylized look - these are all from photographs that I cropped in order to create that kind of spooky, remote impression. However, I do want to try a more fluid approach the next time, so I greatly appreciate your suggestions.

[mopinko]

25. try to limit painting from photos.

at least if you dont have a great deal of practice painting from life.
that transition from 3d to 2d is really so much the essence of painting. if the camera does it for you, you dont get the skill of doing it yourself. the hand must be much more subtle.
after you have seen enough people who learned to paint that way, you can see it at a glance. they never really get convincing in that 3d space. you cant unsee it when you recognize it, and it can make conversation, um, stilted.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

31. I'd like to do some "live" landscapes, but in this part of the world

it's pretty difficult for at least half the year (I'm not keen on painting in the snow). Also, all of these were done as assignments for a painting class that meets (indoors) only once a week. Maybe next summer I'll try working outside on my own outside of the class, but I'm not hopeful if it rains all the time again like it did this year.

[mopinko]

39. well, do still lifes then.

how much training do you have?
i could make suggestions, but i dont want to insult you.

there is a zen practice of drawing 100 objects. when i did it i just did quick line drawings, and i think traditionally they are quick, sparse drawings.
buy yourself a nice pen, a pretty sketch book, and make mistakes.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

40. I wouldn't be insulted by any suggestions; I'm happy to learn whatever I can.

I have done a number of drawings in connection with the weekly classes I've been taking for the last five years, as the instructor requires sketching and drawing exercises. Your approach might be different than his; he's an advocate of old-school, traditional techniques that include preliminary sketches. He's a huge fan of John Singer Sargent, a meticulous planner who did multiple sketches before he started to paint. I am trying to develop my own style with his guidance, and I consider myself to be a work in progress. I might not live long enough to get really good at it, but the fun is in the exploration. I don't want to limit myself to still lifes; everything is a useful learning experience.

[mopinko]

42. well, still lifes can be anything. anything.

yeah, i'm the opposite of that. i paint from the shoulder, not for the wrist.
i also paint from memory/feeling.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Mo-Clay-120776091304700/photos/?tab=album&album_id=120777147971261

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

43. That's a very different style, but I really like the fluidity and the colors.

Thanks for the link!

[mopinko]

47. a couple exercises if you want to loosen up.

if you live in a decent size town, see if there is a figure workshop you can join.
i spent some time in a small group w some artist friends where it was just- pay the model, draw, go home. sometimes people chatted, but no one offered unsolicited opinions and there were no crits.
we would usually do a few short poses, then one or 2 long.
then beers.

get some big paper, and use a big implement. charcoal is good to get loose w. i like sumi ink and a big brush.
put your shoulder into it.

and for a kinda off the wall way to look at drawing, check out 'drawing on the right side of the brain'. i believe it has been updated since i read it back in art school, but the drawing exercises are fun.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

48. The art school where I take classes occasionally has live figure drawing classes.

So far they haven't been offered when I could attend but I hope to be able to do that eventually. I haven't done a lot of drawings or paintings of people; I'm starting out with cats.

[Skittles]

26. lovely

seriously, those are really good

not to sound trite but they give me a "peaceful, easy feeling"

[applegrove]

27. Reminds me of Alex Colville without the animal(s) in the painting. I would

somehow darken the highlights. I have no idea how to paint myself.

[Newest Reality]

28. Very nice!

I like your composition, color and style.

My critique would be that, unless you intend them to be rather flat and minimalist that there seems to be a need for some depth in some of the paintings if you know what I mean. Perhaps a little variation in the hues and contrast as the landscape recedes, (in a few of those) would draw the viewer in more and add impact? The same could be said for variations in detail from foreground to background. It might be something to experiment with if you want to expand on it.

Otherwise, keep going. I think your depictions are very enjoyable to view and reflect on.

Thanks!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

44. Thank you!

Some of the photos are a little washed out vs. the originals, but I am still experimenting with increasing the impression of depth (more blue in the distance, for example). I want to start using larger canvases, too (most of these are 12" - 16" at the longest dimension).

[Newest Reality]

46. You are welcome...

Good. You do have the overall aspect of the paining down very well.

And yes, that step with depth and such takes time and is a natural progression so you are ready to experiment with it now for sure and it is better to go in stages like that anyway. You will get the feel for it as you see the progress. Otherwise, your work is very aesthetically pleasing.

I appreciate your showcasing your artwork here and do update us when you have some new work ready.

All My Best!

[Ohiogal]

29. Got it!

Beautiful! You’re very talented.

I like your composition, and sense of color. Very well done!

Do you work just from memory, or from photographs?

I prefer oils, as well. No particular reason, it’s just what I started with first.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

45. They are from photos.

I'd like to do some plein-air stuff someday, but not in the snow when it's below freezing. I like oils because you can fix mistakes, and prefer oil to acrylics too - acrylics seem too flat to me, though they aren't as messy.

[MontanaMama]

30. My goodness TVO. You're very talented.

There is an ethereal quality that is so appealing in your work. The piece with the abandoned buildings reminds me of Andrew Wyeth’s Evening at Kuerner’s. Haunting and lovely.

[DonaldsRump]

32. Fab! I love the spring and fall ones the most! n/t

[Frustratedlady]

33. Great works!

[3catwoman3]

34. I am seriously in awe.

I have zero artistic talent, so I am also seriously envious.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

37. You'd be amazed at what good instruction can do.

One thing I've been learning in my drawing and painting classes is that most "talent" is really the result of learning the basics and getting a lot of guidance. My instructor always talks about how Rembrandt's early paintings actually kind of sucked, and that it took him a while to become a great painter. Nobody is naturally good at it from the beginning. Take a class or two and discover your talent.

[Karadeniz]

35. They're FABULOUS! Apparently you got the dose of talent that I didn't get!

[Docreed2003]

36. Gorgeous...absolutely gorgeous

I particularly like the deserted storefront, reminds me of my grandfathers store

[Alliepoo]

38. Wonderful!!

I can’t decide which I like best! I think the driveway scene or the harvest field or the sunrise. Gosh, they’re all so good!! Love the vibrant colors you use.

[AllaN01Bear]

49. ohm myyyyyy!!

[JudyM]

50. I love them.

You have a way of capturing energetically, somehow, the essence of those nature scenes.
I especially liked the streetlight scene, the snowy shore and the tulips.
Wonderful work!

[OregonBlue]

51. You are so talented. Love the old sepia buildings.

[FuzzyRabbit]

52. Nice work!

I especially like how you use color. I would love to see more of your paintings as you progress.

[lillypaddle]

53. The third picture ...

I really do get a sense of the day, the damp atmosphere - the wetness.

I can smell the wet leaves all the way here in Kentucky. It is a familiar street, and a familiar feeling. I really like it.

All of them are excellent, but this one in particular jumped out at me.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

54. I don't see weird at all

I’m no art critic, but I like them a lot

[marble falls]

55. Keep painting. Do not stop. you got what it takes.

[JGug1]

56. Critiques

I really, REALLY like your work. More, please.

[From the Harem]

57. They're Beautifull!

I love them! Each and every one of them.

[panader0]

58. Damn impressive!

[kentuck]

59. Looks like something from the Impressionist era.

Very nice!

[Stuart G]

60. They are .."Beautiful.." K and R...great work..

[yourmovemonkey]

61. These are very good

I especially like the driveway with autumn leaves. It's very peaceful, with a hint of somberness. Thank you for sharing.

[Sloumeau]

62. Your work is terrific

I especially like the one on the top right with the orange tree. The brightness of that tree lights up the entire piece. Good job!

[CaptainTruth]

63. I love them all! I like your style.

[radical noodle]

64. They're wonderful!

I like the abandoned buildings best. You're very talented. They aren't weird at all.

[PatrickforO]

65. I don't think they are weird at all. These really look good.

The one set in old suburbia with the fiery tree at the end of the alley is excellent. In me, it evoked a memory of childhood, visiting my grandfather in what was then a small town.

The lamp post in autumn brings up images of Narnia, and the person standing next to it seems bound for great adventure.

The field of flowers, the ducks, the grain and the two abandoned buildings all evoke different feelings, moods.

Nope. Not weird. Rather quite good.

On a technical note, it may be good in subsequent paintings to practice some different clouds and cloud patterns. I don't know how you feel, but I can get lost in clouds because they are so beautiful. You really don't treat them much, though you do present the suggestion of impending storm in the painting with eight trees, and lay out some convincing winter cloud patterns in the frozen lake. I suppose I like your treatment of the sky best in the sixteen ducks. In fact that is a beautiful painting.

Gray sky is ok many times, because it evokes a certain mood, depending on the subject of the painting, but none of these seem to capture the true majesty of clouds.

[Ellipsis]

67. ...particularly enjoy the alleyway.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

68. Thanks! But if you want to see some really good paintings of alleys,

check out my neighbor's stuff: https://100alleys.blogspot.com/ One of his paintings is of the same alley as mine but from another direction. And it's way better. I got the idea from him, though.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

69. Wow again!

Those alleys are very well done

[Mersky]

70. Velveteen, your rhythm and control is impeccable.

You have a lovely and strong style.

I’m kind of a nut for the textured edge between digital and analog qualities in musical or visual works. That your pieces are painted adds a preciousness, yet manages to jog that sense of control vs. natural edge that I like so much. The piece with silhouetted trees against a winter sky at dawn (is that dawn light?) especially gets at this, but I see it in the rhythm of your other works.

I’m curious about the scale of your pieces?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

71. Thank you so much for your kind remarks!

They are not very big, mostly about 10" x 14," I think the largest is about 14" x 20." Someday I want to try something a good deal larger.

[Mersky]

72. Those are good sizes.

Small or big, doesn’t matter... just helps me imagine them as being in-person. The impact of them persists.

I double-dog dare you to scale up and/or down just to challenge you beyond your level of clear mastery in your style (and to nudge you if that’s really what you want to do!).

I look forward to seeing more of your work and am bookmarking to revisit from time to time.

[iamateacher]

73. I like the corn field

The trees by the river, the snowy forest, and the old town.

But they are all quite good. I wish I could paint.

[karin_sj]

74. Beautiful work!

[benld74]

75. All are wonderful! I can barely paint a room

[IcyPeas]

76. very good work

I love the limited use of colors in the last two paintings. a lot of detail with limited colors.

numbers 1, 5, 7, 9 and 10 are very evocative.

I love the orange tree and fallen leaves and the way the houses are peeking through the trees. that one is especially colorful.

thanks for sharing your artwork. it can be scary right?

[Eliot Rosewater]

77. OMG, are you kidding? YOU painted these?

I want the black and white one of the buildings on the street

FANTASTIC

AND the one looking down the alley between the two houses

I LOVE THESE

Are you selling?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

78. It never even occurred to me to try to sell them.

They're framed and hanging in my home where nobody can see them but me; I never thought they were good enough to try to sell. Feel free to print a copy if you want, though - I'm flattered! If you want to see some really good paintings of alleys, check out my neighbor's stuff, https://100alleys.blogspot.com/, some of which are for sale, here: http://www.johnsauer.com/original-art-for-sale/

[Tree-Hugger]

79. Wow!

These are amazing. Great composotion and color. I wish I had money, because I'd buy some. I love the geese. I really love the one of the alleyway between houses. It is so goddamn comforting.

I echo comments above that suggest working from live landscapes (when it's warm! I wouldn't want to be out in the cold either ) to bring some extra depth and to play with more clouds. Depending on where you live, the Spring and Summer feature some gloripus cloud formations that would be fun to play with.

These are brilliant and I hope you are feeling proud. Thank you for sharing your talent with us.

[tblue37]

80. Very nice! nt

[gsbbrockton]

81. Beautiful

Can I buy one ?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

82. Thanks, but they're just art class projects that I never thought of selling -

I need to keep them around to measure my progress, such as it is. I do appreciate the offer, though!!

[samnsara]

83. beautiful!!!!!