The Gate of Sahaqiel
Added 2016-06-22 02:12:42 +0000 UTCNot much besides rendering now.
The main challenge for this piece was the composition. Without a central figure to moor the line of action, I didn't have a clear grasp on where to provide focus and how that focus would effect the impression of the space.
Spending a good 2 weeks thinking about it and then taking a look back at my reference, I've gotten a much clearer picture on how to accomplish that. The focal point has been pulled upwards and the space around it has been dramatically flattened. Giving each element it's own space and exaggerating its natural movement is making me feel a lot more confident in how this is looking overall. I hope you guys are into it as well.
I'm looking forward to doing an intensely oblong vertical crop for a big canvas print of this piece. I'm planning on getting a new sheet of wood cut for mounting and there is a 2"x4" remnant that has this paintings name on it.
-Pete
Comments
I LOVE that you are experimenting. Even if it doesn't resonate with me or fans I'm 100% supportive. It's experiments outside your comfort zone that help you grow and improve. Angelarium can only get better because of it.
Jim Edelen
2016-06-23 03:42:02 +0000 UTCI'm glad you wrote this Jim. Getting honest feedback from backers like you really helps me make decisions about my work. I'm definitely taking your feedback to heart, especially since it mirrors many thoughts that I've gone back and forth about when working on this piece and other environmental experiments. As I was saying in a past post, it's really tough to get a sense of whether or not an idea is fully connecting in the moment. I'll be working extra hard to make sure this piece works awesome as a print and we'll find out together how Angelarium fans as a whole respond to it.
Peter Mohrbacher
2016-06-23 00:33:54 +0000 UTCThis is a cool piece. This version is much more visually appealing and interresting than previous iterations. For me, though, it's lacking the emotional connection that put your other work on the next level. Granted, that does seem easier with characters compared to environments. With Magic art, you get a built-in emotional anchor. That's especially true with environmental pieces. Gavony township, for example, brings back memories of the innistrad environment or that game you won after activating the card. When I look at Keter I get an initial sense of Peace and then as I look at t more I get the feeling something's not quite right, like he's struggling with something. Maybe it's just a reflection of self, but that art provides a powerful emotional connection that's missing from this otherwise beautiful piece. I should qualify this by saying I know nothing about art and could change my mind when I see the final print.
Jim Edelen
2016-06-22 03:24:27 +0000 UTC
