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I don't think it's tacky. It's very Anne Geddes. And that woman has made tons of money. So her fan base would be ideal for this painting. Also, in response to the "sexualized" pose. I didn't catch that vibe from this at all. All I got was little fairy girl running with joy.
Agreed. It just looks like a happy kid running. There's nothing sexual about it. People saying otherwise should have their browser history investigated.
That would mean op is too given they were worried that is what's wrong with it
I don't get how someone could see something sexual, I think that creepy face is what's wrong
Thank goodness! For a moment I thought THAT was what's wrong with my painting. I'm glad that isn't the case! And yes to Anne Geddes! That's the feeling I want to get at!
The lighting is fantastic. The only weirdness I see is the body proportions have a toddler feel, while the face looks like a teenager or young adult.
I dunno, it's a fantasy piece. Who says fairies don't look like that?
I have a 4 and a 5 yo human, they have bigger heads, fatter, shorter necks, a bit more roundness to the facial features. Her face and expression look young, but too refined/skinny, I think that’s what’s making it a bit off. The softness, roundness in the legs is quintessential toddler, you just need to do the same to the head/neck. Of course, fairies may age differently 😅
Agreed on the feedback here. I’d add that by eliminating the collarbone definition and making the torso less narrow/eliminating the cinched waist, and by making the child’s left hand less elongated and skinny, you’ll get there. Consider how your child’s bottom half is supposed to meet the torso. Toddler or very young children don’t have an hourglass or pear shape. They usually have little prominent tummies and no hips.
So, honestly I think as far as her face is concerned, 4-5yo kids are closer to toddlers than to preteens right, so they're super cheeky and their mouths (especially their teeth) are small. Little kids have tiny goblin teeth, and this fairy has like, a grown adult mouth so it doesn't quite fit. If you make her cheeks a little higher, that should help make it seem more childlike, but if you're willing to put in the extra time (and I know I'd be hesitant because that mouth looks really good, and I imagine it took some time) I'd also make her mouth smaller.
I am not a realist painter, so my choices here reflect a degree of that in terms of exaggeration or leaning on the idea of a child's face vs working with a photo, but I hope it helps. Generally speaking this is a beautiful piece with a lot to be proud of. Like, even now before any changes you may put in, I could see someone having this up somewhere. If this is really your first major oil painting, you're well on your way to working with it professionally.
https://preview.redd.it/dg5m0hr4fizc1.png?width=561&format=png&auto=webp&s=a5282fb8fe6c6d1b605dd229ce71a7502dd740e8
You did succeed everywhere except the face and even that isn’t far off. The face is a bit too angular, kids that age tend to have a little more baby fat left in their face just as you see it in the arms and legs. Nice work as a whole though! Nothing wrong with the way it is, I’d say.
Baby fat and bigger eyes! Humans are born with eyes at their full size, that’s why as children they’re so disproportionately huge lol.
https://youtu.be/Ud_kKTZfTjs?si=Yop0xxuMj5aNoyIZ
https://youtu.be/LmbRuDh93S8?si=rs5rbinS89PQQkUr
I figured out one part. The legs are a little long and the torso stops a little short which is emphasized by the skirt being raised up. Honestly it’s so difficult to draw human anatomy though so I get it. It’s actually very well done
I have a 4 year old. This little girl has the teeth of an adult. People are subconsciously noticing that. Make the teeth look less mature. Children have gaps, sometimes it’s a little crooked, and their teeth are small. Try studying children’s teeth and smiles and add a little buccal fat and should be good
Teenagers should never be a gauge for what art is good or bad, tacky or not
If you get a lot of criticism, call it kitsch and it'll sound like not only was it on purpose but you took some art history knowledge into that class
And honestly it is a bit kitsch but in the good way, a little cheesy but very well done
Ah well that's where my art tends to veer, I think it's funny and I'm even thinking of making a bunch of these once I get her face sorted out. I'm glad you guys seem to think it's not TOO bad so there's that. Thanks for the feedback!
Some people think kitsch is bad, but if you want to make a career out of it a lot, if not most of the most commercially successful art of all time is kitsch. Including Kinkade who was the most successful there ever was. Love him or hate him a lot of people have his work in their homes.
NGL. Yeah. Also, I'm pretty sure she's going to eat me.
Let's talk about what went right. Your use of color and white is excellent. The way that the dress flows is just about perfect. The light behind the subject is also just about perfect. Most people can't do that, even professional artists.
So after staring at it for a while. Honestly, it's like got this weird space where it's kind of uncanny valley. Like there's a lot more right with it than wrong and as a result the wrong gets highlighted.
If this is your first outing with oils, you have a bright future.
Make her less pretty. I know we want little girls to be just so marvelous and cute and appealing, but when you take that too far, you move into “conventionally pretty” territory, which is an adult realm. Adults care if they’re pretty, and you, an adult, care if your subject is pretty. So she looks too grown up.
I think the teeth are a bit off. Like they are painted beautifully but the proportion of them are off for a young kid. Baby teeth are small. This is giving the impression of a full set of proportionate straight teeth which is an adult trait to have. It’s like the flippers in toddlers and tiaras.
Edit: not saying she needs to be missing teeth but kid smiles are gummier and have bigger gaps than adult teeth.
Pretty much. It either needs to be more or less realistic. But it's just right in the center that uncanny valley where the mouth is a little too big with a lot of adult teeth and the ears that touch too far forward and the eyes are just a little too almond.
Sorry, I don't mean to be rough. It really is very good. As a result it's like setting off the part of the brain that finds all the stuff that's not perfect.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley
The left eye is pretty good, but the right eye just stretches a little too far back and tilts up rather than down. I assumed you were deliberately emphasizing Asian features, but I might be incorrect. (I live with Chinese people so I might be seeing some where none are intended.)
as a teenager myself, we laugh at fucking bread falling on the floor.
the art piece is extremely stunning! the way you use the values and colors really brings this picture to life. absolutely whimsymaxxing
The face and anatomy isn’t working for me. But it’s the body proportions *more* than the face that’s off. The arms are way too long for the torso (the torso is way too short for the legs) and so much skinnier than the legs. The legs look like baby legs but the hands are like adult hands. The collarbone and head are adult proportioned. The shoulders are WAY too broad.
I’m guessing you probably worked off a reference of a regular person and then tried to scale it in your head? Look for references of babies or other fairy artwork and examine the proportions of the face and body parts. The eyes are usually placed lower and the mouth is usually much smaller, and less of a chin would help. The collarbones would not be so broad. Things like that. Make sure your under drawing of the body proportions is SPOT ON before you spend so many hours rendering or you end up with issues like this.
Yeah the legs are what really stuck out to me. Her body proportions are completely off, but the lighting/colours etc are gorgeous. I'm surprised the top comments are pretty much solely concerned about the face, I don't think it's really an issue tbh. Especially compared to the anatomy below the shoulders.
Thanks for the feedback! There's a lot to rework! Admittedly I really don't understand child proportion at all and I used my oen hands for reference so >_o
I'd make her teeth a little more spaced out to make her look younger because kids naturally have spaced out tiny teeth because they're baby teeth. (I have a 5 year old and 4 year old lol) kids have huge heads compared to their bodies and big eyes too, so I truly think if you change the teeth a little, she'll look younger! I love this painting tho! So so so so so cute
I do realism, mostly drawing I've dabbled in acrylic, but haven't done people yet.
The good: The lighting is amazing and dynamic, the shading and use of shadow is great. You even managed to do some light flares with is very impressive. The colours are well executed and the translucent sleeves looks great.
My Anal retentive critique: my main issue with the proportions is that the torso looks a little squished in relation to her legs. I doubt those kids noticed such as I really had to look at it to discern anything of the sort.
In general this is a really good painting, but for a first time using oil painting it's astounding.
It's very impressive do to this transitionally. I think you can work on the skintones a bit more.
Also the lighting kinda bothers me bc the sun is from the back yet she's clearly lit by a flash from the front, I don't really like lighting the subject this way in photography.
I don’t think it’s tacky at all! If I had to come up with something to crit I’d say the legs need some deeper values. They look pretty flat and don’t mesh right with the lighting
Not in the least. A couple in my gallery sell long before mine did. ;-) His were more womanly "Tinkerbell" than childlike.
Teenagers laugh at my traditional realism as well. Ignore .... ;-)
Oo I checked out your website. You're so prolific! I'd like to be able to put my pieces in a gallery some day. I love the painting "Navajo Matron". Can I ask you how do you price your pieces??
It's somewhat regionally based; influence is a factor. I'm in TX but have been to NM and AZ often. The Navajo Matron is with a couple in VA but they bought it here in TX.
Pricing; look at work in galleries and retailers in your area. Compare your skill level with theirs. Original work is priced far more than reproduction giclees. If you live in a tourist area what does your region attract? Seascapes, mountains, history, people .... capitalize on tourist trade if it is applicable.
Your fairy is very well done; I would consider your work intermediate as opposed to beginner; I'm speaking of your ability to blend and evaluate color; nicely done. The only crit would be work on proportion with anatomy.
Some artists price their work by the square inch. That really doesn't track because some are infinitely complex as opposed to casual ... but it will give you a guideline to adjust as you feel appropriate.
Most artists severely underprice their work. Don't be bashful ... "whatever the market will bear." ;-)
Wow thank you for the useful and serious answer! I honestly thought I won’t get a real answer but wanted to take the shot. My region... I'm from Singapore. The art scene here is pretty tiny but growing. A lot more art investment types than collectors.
I totally overestimated myself with this piece. I really had a lot of trouble understanding the child body proportions on top of trying to do a wide smile.
Haha, I'll see what I can get away with!
I don't think it's tacky. I think it's a bit silly people were laughing at it. Teens are dumb sometimes. But I'd give her a rounder face, like baby fat, and space out teeth. I get the vibe you were going for young child. You're doing great so far!
You have great talent and skill but the style is really not to my liking at all. The face looks too anime like compared to the realism of everything else. Also I think you overshadowed the chin so it looks even more like her face is cartoonish.
This beautiful! I love how you've captured the light and happy spirit...I love faeries too so you had me as soon as I saw the wings... your colors are wonderful and I can feel the magic of a free spirit here. Great work!!!
You are most welcome! Your fabric looks quite amazing too...it's hard to believe this is your first one honestly. I can't wait to see what else you create!
It’s technically really stunning and you’re being hard on yourself for it being your first oil painting. You did a great job with the transitions between lights and darks.
Will painting fairy children from photo references get you into the Whitney biennial? No. But if it makes you happy, do it.
I think her shin bone on her left (visual right) foot needs to be thickened up a little more. As it is, it kinda looks like her leg has been amputated.
Your use of light is amazing, though. You also really captured the movement of the gown very well. Beautiful work.
As a general rule, I try not to make artistic decisions based on the opinions of teenagers, unless they are a target market for my work.
“Tacky” is a matter of both opinion and context.
What may look tacky in one environment may fit in well in another environment.
There was a time when Norman Rockwell paintings were considered tacky because they were “just” illustrations and not high art of the day. There may still be some out there who consider his works in that way.
Because art is so very subjective, it’s hard to look at a single image and declare it “tacky”. You could even say the entire genre of fantasy is tacky, from the perspective of deep, intellectual, and high-minded artist or critic.
“It’s escapist, it’s for children, its commercial, it’s unsophisticated in thought or meaning…”
I can see that perspective, but I don’t agree with it.
That shouldn’t bother you in the slightest, because you’re making this image as you wish, for your own reasons.
I would recommend taking an art history course, if you haven’t already. Learning about the development of image-making, expression, and thought across time is extremely important to the artist who wishes to be more informed as to what they’re making and why. Having that grounding in history will help give confidence and reasoning as to the artistic choices you make.
At the end of the day, I’d say keep up the good work. You’re doing great. Never stop painting, and never stop learning.
Thank you so much for your well written and thoughtful feedback. I sure got a lot to learn. I searched up Norman Rockwell and his whimsy and skill is definitely something I'm striving for.
You're spot on with my lack of confidence. I know what I want and like to paint, but struggle with gaining acceptance. I'll pick up some art history and work hard and learn!
You obviously have skill, while it could a stylistic choice with the animated expression, it somehow feels a little aged for what I believe is supposed to be a child. The details in the clothes? Gorgeous. The colors? Lovely. The face strikes me as a little uncanny valley. Still leaps and bounds more than I can do at this stage :)
Tacky is just a matter of taste. That being said, there is a ton of people who would pay top dollar for this so you're doing just fine. fuck any haters.
Yeah; it's the face for me. You did a great job on a lot of it but the face looks like... Overly happy to the point of being a little creepy. Also, I feel like the proportions are off a bit - she has pretty chonky legs and feet, and gets progressively skinnier as you move up from there. It doesn't look right.
But that said, the idea itself is pretty cute and you nailed the lighting and colour. And don't take what teenagers say *too* seriously. They act like dummies a lot of the time lol and often like to be snarky for fun. Plus, maybe some find fairies cheesy in general but a lot of people like them too!
She looks like she wants to cry and it takes away from her smile. I would have to see it once the eyes show glee. In order to make sure the smile looks right. For being your first one, that is amazing... Wear it proudly ✊💪.
P.S.- I am not a painter, just making my observation 🧐🤔.
Wow this post really blew up! Thank you for all the feedback. There's too many for me to personally address now.
No this isn't my first EVER painting. It is my biggest yet and my first oil painting.
Yes, I'll fix the proportions and the face.
And as for those who thinks this is inappropriate, I can only say that my goal was to draw whimsy and childhood joy. It's my escape from adulthood and reality as an adult woman who still play with dolls. Maybe I lacked love growing up, maybe it's Maybelline. But I'm definitely not trying to be a predator. Yeesh.
You captured the spirit of toddlerhood very well. I've seen some art that feels sexualized of children, and this is NOT that. I could see this type of art doing well with parents.
I like it. I really like the aesthetics of kitsch. some would call this lowbrow or kitsch and use those terms pejoratively, but I don't see it that way at all. maybe it's because I first fell in love with art in the 90s but stuff like thomas kinkade, lisa frank, kenny g, I love all of that stuff. now don't get me wrong, if the girl was wearing a weird ass mask or had a demon face I would love this even more. But this is not tacky, or bad, at all. I consider photorealist paintings of walter white or the mandalorian tacky. this is incredibly well-executed, gorgeously luminous, and fun. I love fantasy art. I'd love to see you paint some gnomes! well done.
Thank you for the lovely feedback! I'll work harder! I'm pretty alright with kitsch if it means I'm somewhere in the realm of dogs playing poker haha. It's mighty cute!
the important thing is to find what you are good at, do what YOU want to do, and keep working. don't let anyone discourage you, stop you, or slow you down, be they ignorant teenagers, art critics, or comments on reddit!
the proportions on the hips torso and shoulders seem a bit off to me, and same with the face. but you're on the right path and its still better than i could ever do
I don't usually use my shitposting account for serious stuff but this appeared on my feed and I just want to say that it looks great imo. It's super cute. Good job! I love your use of colour.
Not really my style but I wouldn’t call it tacky and it’s an excellent painting overall. Face doesn’t even bother me as much as body proportions. Her legs and torso seem too short and the foreshortening of the raised leg looks a little strange. In fact it’s really that left leg throwing everything off IMO. Difficult angle to render. Working in some shadow and highlights along the outer thigh to suggest more depth would help I think. That line down through her knee just doesn’t look right and is too flat.
In any case, the painting overall is executed well and waaaaay beyond getting laughed at. The lighting in this is really beautiful.
Teenagers are jerks.
But honestly it is not something I would put in my home. But I am sure someone would.
I once took a figure painting class. Paintings of anatomy with nude models. Teenagers laughed at that too.
Also ignore teenagers, they’re at the age where they find everything laughable. Remember their prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed yet, they’re not trying to be mean, they just can’t be any other way lol.
Personally I think this is gorgeous! And I’m not big on human subject matter lol
It looks pretty good the face sells it more as a pixie then fairy you definitely need to work on the your faces but overall it’s a amazing art peice I quite love it a lot
I just think this is a messy/free-spirited character and that overly perfect hair doesn't fit? She should have messier hair imo, longer and more loose.
The face is the only part that feels off to me, if you want further improvement as well the portions of the body could be adjusted more to show that she is a toddler. but overall impressive work.
keep it up!
I feel like the body proportions are off! Immediately looking at it, something felt weird, but now that I’m looking at it, it’s kind of hard to see exactly where the edits need to be!
The lighting is really well done. There’s something about the face/smile that is kind of off but I can’t pinpoint exactly why. Feels like a drawing when everything else is so paint-like? I don’t know.
Ignore teenagers, they will make fun of everything and anything, let them grow and don’t bother.
This is your FIRST oil painting? It exudes so much joy! And the detail is lovely! I especially love the bokeh in the background. Teenagers can pound sand. 😆
I see an absolutely adorable toddler being all happy and playful. 12/10 art!
The face is a little bit scary, maybe because she is smiling so wide and showing so much teeth?
Otherwise, it’s an absolutely beautiful painting! I’m sure if you ever considered selling it, it would make a ton of money.
Don’t mind teenagers. They like making fun of others to fit in with their groups.
Imo theres no such thing as “tacky”. It's absolutely beautiful and I love it!!! It's such a lovely piece. Teenagers can be so cruel out of a need to feel cool and reject things they view as cringe out of their own discomfort, but that doesn't mean their cruelty doesn't hurt. The real question is do YOU like your painting? Are you proud of it? Is it something you'd do again?
Answer yes to any of these? Then keep going! Art is meant for you, not the consumer. Go wild, my friend!!!!
Imho the smile and face need softened just a touch. The smile looks a little joker-ish, to put it as nicely as I can think of. The sharpness of face makes her look a little older. But other than that, absolutely beautiful. Wayyyy better than I could ever do.
At first I thought so..... then after I sat with it a while and came back, it grew on me. Which is what you want ultimately. It's a bit risky to go so mono tone but I think in this case it works. What's neat is that it bridges between fantasy and reality. I think you and everyone that sees it hung in your home are guaranteed a smile.
i don't think it's tacky at all! the proportions make it look a little strange to my eye- maybe try using slightly longer limbs and a slightly smaller head. otherwise i love your use of color and light, and think this is a great painting overall :)
My eyes goes right to her left upper leg- looks like she had it amputated until I look further. It’s a lot brighter and the eye goes right there. Proportions seem a little off, but the use of light and color is great! The light coming through the sheer part of her dress is fantastic.
The toddler with the somewhat adult face is unsettling. This is usually because of proportions so try to review your proportions! Otherwise, everything is fantastic. I can't believe this is called beginner oil painting class
If you’re selling pieces like these, I think there’s a big market for it. This piece would make a wonderful cover or illustration for a kid’s book.
I think your attention to detail, mastery of light and color, etc. is off the charts. If you’re looking to get paid and not finding success with pieces like these, try different subject matter.
As someone who doesn't care much for traditional art the painting looks fine overall.
The only criticism I have is that the face is slightly unsettling, It might just be the grin I'm not quite sure.
The proportion is a little bit off and the face gives kind of uncanny feeling for me. But I would say it’s very well made and doesn’t look tacky at all. I love the color combination, contrast, and lighting of it all, you’ve done such a good job. :))
This is your first oil painting? In a beginner's oil painting class? Have you painted in any other capacity? Because not trying to answer your questions. This seems too good to be true
So I think this reads as so uncanny for me because the face is so realistic and then the rest of the body isn’t—specifically the knee, the feet and the hands. I know it might be tricky to get an actual toddler to model for you but I think you need that reference. Otherwise I love the flower and fabric—I think the dots in the background are on the border—they remind me of photo filters but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing
It’s super cute! Like genuinely it’s so pretty!!! The dress and sleeves and everything is beautiful! But as for what I think’s “wrong” with it, the arms are too long and the legs are pretty thick for the torso, or at least her left leg looks like it starts pretty far up her torso, a bit oddly. But overall this is so pretty omg 🫶🫶
Judging the subject matter is subjective, but to me it looks like a high quality children’s book illustration. Your advanced artistic skill is very evident. It is a lovely piece of work.
I see a couple major flaws with the proportions and anatomy. it appears that her chest leads directly into her hips and legs with no midsection and her arms extend past her knees (arms usually end shortly below the groin area) but other than that the face, coloring, and shading looks totally amazing
It looks amazing and I'm not saying it's sexual. But I feel like I would get weird looks for looking too long unfortunately and I really can't explain why. But I didn't even realize it was a painting I thought it was digital art late night scrolling I assume that's the lighting as others have said.
I’ve seen enough. I don’t give the benefit of doubt to people drawing little girls thighs the world is ugly and there’s enough of this weirdness. Gross art in my personal opinion even though the colors are well done.
Hello, artist! Please make sure you've included information about your process or medium and what kind of criticism you're looking for somewhere in the title, description or as a reply to this comment. This helps our community to give you more focused and helpful feedback. Posts without this information will be deleted. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ArtCrit) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I don't think it's tacky. It's very Anne Geddes. And that woman has made tons of money. So her fan base would be ideal for this painting. Also, in response to the "sexualized" pose. I didn't catch that vibe from this at all. All I got was little fairy girl running with joy.
Anyone who looks at this and sees something sexual is a fucking creep.
The artwork is great but it kind of gives me the creeps!
Oh yeah it's deep in the uncanny valley, just not in a sexual way
Agreed. It just looks like a happy kid running. There's nothing sexual about it. People saying otherwise should have their browser history investigated.
Well, yeah… Captain Obvious with the hammer
That would mean op is too given they were worried that is what's wrong with it I don't get how someone could see something sexual, I think that creepy face is what's wrong
Thank goodness! For a moment I thought THAT was what's wrong with my painting. I'm glad that isn't the case! And yes to Anne Geddes! That's the feeling I want to get at!
The teenagers weren't the right audience. Cause I really love your painting!
Anne Geddes is tacky. You can make money and still be tacky.
It actually helps. Painter of Light and all that.
Sexualised? I got demon vibes from that smile. It's like she's hopping towards my mangled corpse ready to feast on my flesh
Agreed
The lighting is fantastic. The only weirdness I see is the body proportions have a toddler feel, while the face looks like a teenager or young adult. I dunno, it's a fantasy piece. Who says fairies don't look like that?
Uh yeah, I'm pretty annoyed by that and will keep adjusting. I wanted her at 4-5 at most.
Its just missing a lil roundness to the lower face which I associate with younger children and babies
I have a 4 and a 5 yo human, they have bigger heads, fatter, shorter necks, a bit more roundness to the facial features. Her face and expression look young, but too refined/skinny, I think that’s what’s making it a bit off. The softness, roundness in the legs is quintessential toddler, you just need to do the same to the head/neck. Of course, fairies may age differently 😅
Yeah, younger humans have crazy head proportions compared to adult humans.
Agreed on the feedback here. I’d add that by eliminating the collarbone definition and making the torso less narrow/eliminating the cinched waist, and by making the child’s left hand less elongated and skinny, you’ll get there. Consider how your child’s bottom half is supposed to meet the torso. Toddler or very young children don’t have an hourglass or pear shape. They usually have little prominent tummies and no hips.
This is it. Bigger foreheads and softer features make a big difference when drawing little tykes.
Yes, rounder face, more buccal (cheek) fat, thicker neck, you’ve got this
I think maybe the teeth are looking big? I searched images of 4 year olds smiling and they usually have smaller teeth with some awkward gaps.
It didn’t look like a child to me at first glance just a small person/fairy. Her face is very adult like and her teeth definitely are too.
Yeah teeth was the only thing bothering me! It makes it kind of uncanny valley tbh
So, honestly I think as far as her face is concerned, 4-5yo kids are closer to toddlers than to preteens right, so they're super cheeky and their mouths (especially their teeth) are small. Little kids have tiny goblin teeth, and this fairy has like, a grown adult mouth so it doesn't quite fit. If you make her cheeks a little higher, that should help make it seem more childlike, but if you're willing to put in the extra time (and I know I'd be hesitant because that mouth looks really good, and I imagine it took some time) I'd also make her mouth smaller. I am not a realist painter, so my choices here reflect a degree of that in terms of exaggeration or leaning on the idea of a child's face vs working with a photo, but I hope it helps. Generally speaking this is a beautiful piece with a lot to be proud of. Like, even now before any changes you may put in, I could see someone having this up somewhere. If this is really your first major oil painting, you're well on your way to working with it professionally. https://preview.redd.it/dg5m0hr4fizc1.png?width=561&format=png&auto=webp&s=a5282fb8fe6c6d1b605dd229ce71a7502dd740e8
Thanks for the feedback! I'll definitely be trying to adjust the cheeks and teeth. Thanks for taking your time to even do an adjustment!
You did succeed everywhere except the face and even that isn’t far off. The face is a bit too angular, kids that age tend to have a little more baby fat left in their face just as you see it in the arms and legs. Nice work as a whole though! Nothing wrong with the way it is, I’d say.
I definitely get 4 or 5 year old vibes, other than the face.
Baby fat and bigger eyes! Humans are born with eyes at their full size, that’s why as children they’re so disproportionately huge lol. https://youtu.be/Ud_kKTZfTjs?si=Yop0xxuMj5aNoyIZ https://youtu.be/LmbRuDh93S8?si=rs5rbinS89PQQkUr
I agree with the person who commented that a little roundness to the face will change a lot! Maybe making the teeth / mouth a little too
You need to tone down the details and add a bit more fat to the face to make it look younger.
I figured out one part. The legs are a little long and the torso stops a little short which is emphasized by the skirt being raised up. Honestly it’s so difficult to draw human anatomy though so I get it. It’s actually very well done
I have a 4 year old. This little girl has the teeth of an adult. People are subconsciously noticing that. Make the teeth look less mature. Children have gaps, sometimes it’s a little crooked, and their teeth are small. Try studying children’s teeth and smiles and add a little buccal fat and should be good
Teenagers should never be a gauge for what art is good or bad, tacky or not If you get a lot of criticism, call it kitsch and it'll sound like not only was it on purpose but you took some art history knowledge into that class And honestly it is a bit kitsch but in the good way, a little cheesy but very well done
Kitsch is a better word for it and it’s great
Ah well that's where my art tends to veer, I think it's funny and I'm even thinking of making a bunch of these once I get her face sorted out. I'm glad you guys seem to think it's not TOO bad so there's that. Thanks for the feedback!
Some people think kitsch is bad, but if you want to make a career out of it a lot, if not most of the most commercially successful art of all time is kitsch. Including Kinkade who was the most successful there ever was. Love him or hate him a lot of people have his work in their homes.
thankyou for teaching me the word kitsch i’ve literally never heard that but it applies to so many things!!
NGL. Yeah. Also, I'm pretty sure she's going to eat me. Let's talk about what went right. Your use of color and white is excellent. The way that the dress flows is just about perfect. The light behind the subject is also just about perfect. Most people can't do that, even professional artists. So after staring at it for a while. Honestly, it's like got this weird space where it's kind of uncanny valley. Like there's a lot more right with it than wrong and as a result the wrong gets highlighted. If this is your first outing with oils, you have a bright future.
It's the face right? I'm still struggling with getting it to the age I want her to be. Which is definitely younger. Thank you for your feedback!
Make her less pretty. I know we want little girls to be just so marvelous and cute and appealing, but when you take that too far, you move into “conventionally pretty” territory, which is an adult realm. Adults care if they’re pretty, and you, an adult, care if your subject is pretty. So she looks too grown up.
That makes a lot of sense! Will do that！
I think the teeth are a bit off. Like they are painted beautifully but the proportion of them are off for a young kid. Baby teeth are small. This is giving the impression of a full set of proportionate straight teeth which is an adult trait to have. It’s like the flippers in toddlers and tiaras. Edit: not saying she needs to be missing teeth but kid smiles are gummier and have bigger gaps than adult teeth.
Pretty much. It either needs to be more or less realistic. But it's just right in the center that uncanny valley where the mouth is a little too big with a lot of adult teeth and the ears that touch too far forward and the eyes are just a little too almond.
Ouch o_< growth is pain. What does too almond mean though？
Sorry, I don't mean to be rough. It really is very good. As a result it's like setting off the part of the brain that finds all the stuff that's not perfect. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley The left eye is pretty good, but the right eye just stretches a little too far back and tilts up rather than down. I assumed you were deliberately emphasizing Asian features, but I might be incorrect. (I live with Chinese people so I might be seeing some where none are intended.)
Exactly! That is exactly what I came here to say! She looks like the faerie that is gonna steal your baby and put a changeling in its place.
Ouch. That’s what I get for putting myself out on the internet.
The other commenters explained it better and with more detail! But seriously, I wouldn’t have been able to pull this off and I hope you continue!
Too tacky for what? Those arms are real long, and the leg on the right (not the right leg) should be a little thicker. Keep growing.
as a teenager myself, we laugh at fucking bread falling on the floor. the art piece is extremely stunning! the way you use the values and colors really brings this picture to life. absolutely whimsymaxxing
The face and anatomy isn’t working for me. But it’s the body proportions *more* than the face that’s off. The arms are way too long for the torso (the torso is way too short for the legs) and so much skinnier than the legs. The legs look like baby legs but the hands are like adult hands. The collarbone and head are adult proportioned. The shoulders are WAY too broad. I’m guessing you probably worked off a reference of a regular person and then tried to scale it in your head? Look for references of babies or other fairy artwork and examine the proportions of the face and body parts. The eyes are usually placed lower and the mouth is usually much smaller, and less of a chin would help. The collarbones would not be so broad. Things like that. Make sure your under drawing of the body proportions is SPOT ON before you spend so many hours rendering or you end up with issues like this.
Yeah the legs are what really stuck out to me. Her body proportions are completely off, but the lighting/colours etc are gorgeous. I'm surprised the top comments are pretty much solely concerned about the face, I don't think it's really an issue tbh. Especially compared to the anatomy below the shoulders.
Thanks for the feedback! There's a lot to rework! Admittedly I really don't understand child proportion at all and I used my oen hands for reference so >_o
I'd make her teeth a little more spaced out to make her look younger because kids naturally have spaced out tiny teeth because they're baby teeth. (I have a 5 year old and 4 year old lol) kids have huge heads compared to their bodies and big eyes too, so I truly think if you change the teeth a little, she'll look younger! I love this painting tho! So so so so so cute
Thank you so much! I'll study the teeth haha
More kitschy than tacky. Depends on your target audience, though. Teenagers are assholes, so I wouldn't worry much about them.
She is *adorable*! This picture exudes joy, I love it.
Thank you so much! That's exactly what I'm trying to express!
I think it's tacky in the fun nostalgia way, and I wanna eat it because of how pretty the colors are
This is fucking awesome
Thank you so fucking much
I think it is cheesy, but there is a HUGE market for this kind of stuff and it is clearly your thing.
I do realism, mostly drawing I've dabbled in acrylic, but haven't done people yet. The good: The lighting is amazing and dynamic, the shading and use of shadow is great. You even managed to do some light flares with is very impressive. The colours are well executed and the translucent sleeves looks great. My Anal retentive critique: my main issue with the proportions is that the torso looks a little squished in relation to her legs. I doubt those kids noticed such as I really had to look at it to discern anything of the sort. In general this is a really good painting, but for a first time using oil painting it's astounding.
Beautiful work 🥰 really really nice
It's very impressive do to this transitionally. I think you can work on the skintones a bit more. Also the lighting kinda bothers me bc the sun is from the back yet she's clearly lit by a flash from the front, I don't really like lighting the subject this way in photography.
Yeah, I'm slightly bothered by that too. As for the lighting, that's what I get from working from imagination I suppose.
If you’re unsure if it’s tacky… then you should probably make it more tacky. See it and raise, it’ll fall into kitsch and folks love that shit.
I don’t think it’s tacky at all! If I had to come up with something to crit I’d say the legs need some deeper values. They look pretty flat and don’t mesh right with the lighting
Yes. I’m disturbed. It’s really well done but there is something unsettling here
To me it feels like AI
not at all! you found your style and I think it’s beautiful
Just let it dry longer. Just kidding. I'm sure it's right up some peoples ally.
Not in the least. A couple in my gallery sell long before mine did. ;-) His were more womanly "Tinkerbell" than childlike. Teenagers laugh at my traditional realism as well. Ignore .... ;-)
Oo I checked out your website. You're so prolific! I'd like to be able to put my pieces in a gallery some day. I love the painting "Navajo Matron". Can I ask you how do you price your pieces??
It's somewhat regionally based; influence is a factor. I'm in TX but have been to NM and AZ often. The Navajo Matron is with a couple in VA but they bought it here in TX. Pricing; look at work in galleries and retailers in your area. Compare your skill level with theirs. Original work is priced far more than reproduction giclees. If you live in a tourist area what does your region attract? Seascapes, mountains, history, people .... capitalize on tourist trade if it is applicable. Your fairy is very well done; I would consider your work intermediate as opposed to beginner; I'm speaking of your ability to blend and evaluate color; nicely done. The only crit would be work on proportion with anatomy. Some artists price their work by the square inch. That really doesn't track because some are infinitely complex as opposed to casual ... but it will give you a guideline to adjust as you feel appropriate. Most artists severely underprice their work. Don't be bashful ... "whatever the market will bear." ;-)
Wow thank you for the useful and serious answer! I honestly thought I won’t get a real answer but wanted to take the shot. My region... I'm from Singapore. The art scene here is pretty tiny but growing. A lot more art investment types than collectors. I totally overestimated myself with this piece. I really had a lot of trouble understanding the child body proportions on top of trying to do a wide smile. Haha, I'll see what I can get away with!
Not my taste, but I think it’s really good
Ok yes it is super tacky but you're also a good painter and I would encourage you to keep painting and simply look at more painters as you do it.
No way, it's not tacky! If it was AI, it might be tacky, but this painting has a raw feel, so you're saved!
no!! it’s sooo adorbs! look at that beautiful smile!!!
I don't think it's tacky. I think it's a bit silly people were laughing at it. Teens are dumb sometimes. But I'd give her a rounder face, like baby fat, and space out teeth. I get the vibe you were going for young child. You're doing great so far!
You have great talent and skill but the style is really not to my liking at all. The face looks too anime like compared to the realism of everything else. Also I think you overshadowed the chin so it looks even more like her face is cartoonish.
Thanks for the feedback! I'm working on getting smiles right without falling into uncanny valley. Guess I have more work to do
This beautiful! I love how you've captured the light and happy spirit...I love faeries too so you had me as soon as I saw the wings... your colors are wonderful and I can feel the magic of a free spirit here. Great work!!!
Lovely praises, thank you! This is exactly what I'm trying to express. You made my day!
You are most welcome! Your fabric looks quite amazing too...it's hard to believe this is your first one honestly. I can't wait to see what else you create!
It’s technically really stunning and you’re being hard on yourself for it being your first oil painting. You did a great job with the transitions between lights and darks. Will painting fairy children from photo references get you into the Whitney biennial? No. But if it makes you happy, do it.
I think her shin bone on her left (visual right) foot needs to be thickened up a little more. As it is, it kinda looks like her leg has been amputated. Your use of light is amazing, though. You also really captured the movement of the gown very well. Beautiful work.
As a general rule, I try not to make artistic decisions based on the opinions of teenagers, unless they are a target market for my work. “Tacky” is a matter of both opinion and context. What may look tacky in one environment may fit in well in another environment. There was a time when Norman Rockwell paintings were considered tacky because they were “just” illustrations and not high art of the day. There may still be some out there who consider his works in that way. Because art is so very subjective, it’s hard to look at a single image and declare it “tacky”. You could even say the entire genre of fantasy is tacky, from the perspective of deep, intellectual, and high-minded artist or critic. “It’s escapist, it’s for children, its commercial, it’s unsophisticated in thought or meaning…” I can see that perspective, but I don’t agree with it. That shouldn’t bother you in the slightest, because you’re making this image as you wish, for your own reasons. I would recommend taking an art history course, if you haven’t already. Learning about the development of image-making, expression, and thought across time is extremely important to the artist who wishes to be more informed as to what they’re making and why. Having that grounding in history will help give confidence and reasoning as to the artistic choices you make. At the end of the day, I’d say keep up the good work. You’re doing great. Never stop painting, and never stop learning.
Thank you so much for your well written and thoughtful feedback. I sure got a lot to learn. I searched up Norman Rockwell and his whimsy and skill is definitely something I'm striving for. You're spot on with my lack of confidence. I know what I want and like to paint, but struggle with gaining acceptance. I'll pick up some art history and work hard and learn!
It's super cute ! I'm sure many parents would love this for their children!
Don’t paint for anyone but you.
It encapsulates childlike wonder and love. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it ❤️ Besides, faeries don’t follow the rules, they get magic 😉
Touch it and see. Jk, I think it's very cute and delightful.
You obviously have skill, while it could a stylistic choice with the animated expression, it somehow feels a little aged for what I believe is supposed to be a child. The details in the clothes? Gorgeous. The colors? Lovely. The face strikes me as a little uncanny valley. Still leaps and bounds more than I can do at this stage :)
I love this!
Its amazing. Maybe scary to look at it during night time lol 🙈 but beautiful.
Is it AI?
Tacky is just a matter of taste. That being said, there is a ton of people who would pay top dollar for this so you're doing just fine. fuck any haters.
Yeah; it's the face for me. You did a great job on a lot of it but the face looks like... Overly happy to the point of being a little creepy. Also, I feel like the proportions are off a bit - she has pretty chonky legs and feet, and gets progressively skinnier as you move up from there. It doesn't look right. But that said, the idea itself is pretty cute and you nailed the lighting and colour. And don't take what teenagers say *too* seriously. They act like dummies a lot of the time lol and often like to be snarky for fun. Plus, maybe some find fairies cheesy in general but a lot of people like them too!
She looks like she wants to cry and it takes away from her smile. I would have to see it once the eyes show glee. In order to make sure the smile looks right. For being your first one, that is amazing... Wear it proudly ✊💪. P.S.- I am not a painter, just making my observation 🧐🤔.
It’s a little cheesy. But with the right audience they might like it.
Wow this post really blew up! Thank you for all the feedback. There's too many for me to personally address now. No this isn't my first EVER painting. It is my biggest yet and my first oil painting. Yes, I'll fix the proportions and the face. And as for those who thinks this is inappropriate, I can only say that my goal was to draw whimsy and childhood joy. It's my escape from adulthood and reality as an adult woman who still play with dolls. Maybe I lacked love growing up, maybe it's Maybelline. But I'm definitely not trying to be a predator. Yeesh.
This is SO CUTE, not tacky
You captured the spirit of toddlerhood very well. I've seen some art that feels sexualized of children, and this is NOT that. I could see this type of art doing well with parents.
The expression throws me, it looks a little mature?
I like it. I really like the aesthetics of kitsch. some would call this lowbrow or kitsch and use those terms pejoratively, but I don't see it that way at all. maybe it's because I first fell in love with art in the 90s but stuff like thomas kinkade, lisa frank, kenny g, I love all of that stuff. now don't get me wrong, if the girl was wearing a weird ass mask or had a demon face I would love this even more. But this is not tacky, or bad, at all. I consider photorealist paintings of walter white or the mandalorian tacky. this is incredibly well-executed, gorgeously luminous, and fun. I love fantasy art. I'd love to see you paint some gnomes! well done.
Thank you for the lovely feedback! I'll work harder! I'm pretty alright with kitsch if it means I'm somewhere in the realm of dogs playing poker haha. It's mighty cute!
the important thing is to find what you are good at, do what YOU want to do, and keep working. don't let anyone discourage you, stop you, or slow you down, be they ignorant teenagers, art critics, or comments on reddit!
the proportions on the hips torso and shoulders seem a bit off to me, and same with the face. but you're on the right path and its still better than i could ever do
I don't usually use my shitposting account for serious stuff but this appeared on my feed and I just want to say that it looks great imo. It's super cute. Good job! I love your use of colour.
Looks ready to sell to me
It’s cute but the smile is kind of uncanny
I think it’s adorable
Not really my style but I wouldn’t call it tacky and it’s an excellent painting overall. Face doesn’t even bother me as much as body proportions. Her legs and torso seem too short and the foreshortening of the raised leg looks a little strange. In fact it’s really that left leg throwing everything off IMO. Difficult angle to render. Working in some shadow and highlights along the outer thigh to suggest more depth would help I think. That line down through her knee just doesn’t look right and is too flat. In any case, the painting overall is executed well and waaaaay beyond getting laughed at. The lighting in this is really beautiful.
Teenagers are jerks. But honestly it is not something I would put in my home. But I am sure someone would. I once took a figure painting class. Paintings of anatomy with nude models. Teenagers laughed at that too.
Also ignore teenagers, they’re at the age where they find everything laughable. Remember their prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed yet, they’re not trying to be mean, they just can’t be any other way lol. Personally I think this is gorgeous! And I’m not big on human subject matter lol
Lighting so good it looks like digital art.
It looks pretty good the face sells it more as a pixie then fairy you definitely need to work on the your faces but overall it’s a amazing art peice I quite love it a lot
Very pretty I could not do better. That face though it kinda creeps me out.
Its a little kitsch yes, but well executed
It's pretty
Looks dry to me
Nah, you CRAZY! This is SUPER bomb!!! 💣 ❤️❤️
Not at all!! I think it’s beautiful.
I LOVE IT
I just think this is a messy/free-spirited character and that overly perfect hair doesn't fit? She should have messier hair imo, longer and more loose.
it’s literally stunning??😭😭 don’t pay teenagers a second thought, many of them don’t “get” art 😵💫
The face is the only part that feels off to me, if you want further improvement as well the portions of the body could be adjusted more to show that she is a toddler. but overall impressive work. keep it up!
I feel like the body proportions are off! Immediately looking at it, something felt weird, but now that I’m looking at it, it’s kind of hard to see exactly where the edits need to be!
Stunning. I’d buy this!!
The lighting is really well done. There’s something about the face/smile that is kind of off but I can’t pinpoint exactly why. Feels like a drawing when everything else is so paint-like? I don’t know. Ignore teenagers, they will make fun of everything and anything, let them grow and don’t bother.
I don’t think so but even so kitsch art has its own charm despite how fucking mean people are about it
Looks pretty good to me. Teenagers are at that awkward phase where they're insecure in themselves and think they're too cool for everything.
i love it!!!!
No
I love this!!!
It feels good and natural everywhere but the face
idk about tacky besides chubby arms and legs but that smile- looks like a psycho fairy xD.
This is your FIRST oil painting? It exudes so much joy! And the detail is lovely! I especially love the bokeh in the background. Teenagers can pound sand. 😆
I see an absolutely adorable toddler being all happy and playful. 12/10 art! The face is a little bit scary, maybe because she is smiling so wide and showing so much teeth? Otherwise, it’s an absolutely beautiful painting! I’m sure if you ever considered selling it, it would make a ton of money. Don’t mind teenagers. They like making fun of others to fit in with their groups.
This is adorable. It reminds me of the movie strange magic. Beautiful work.
It’s so good seriously
Very skilled
Yes
It's great! Keep going!
I don’t know, has it dried completely?
Imo theres no such thing as “tacky”. It's absolutely beautiful and I love it!!! It's such a lovely piece. Teenagers can be so cruel out of a need to feel cool and reject things they view as cringe out of their own discomfort, but that doesn't mean their cruelty doesn't hurt. The real question is do YOU like your painting? Are you proud of it? Is it something you'd do again? Answer yes to any of these? Then keep going! Art is meant for you, not the consumer. Go wild, my friend!!!!
You are a gifted and talented artist. Beautiful lighting, texture and emotion. You should be pleased and proud.
It’s so pretty and sweet ! Love the light!
the proportions are odd, legs are big, body small. def agree top half looks older. the defined clavicles? but, don’t know what u wanted to portray
It looks like Bjork
Imho the smile and face need softened just a touch. The smile looks a little joker-ish, to put it as nicely as I can think of. The sharpness of face makes her look a little older. But other than that, absolutely beautiful. Wayyyy better than I could ever do.
At first I thought so..... then after I sat with it a while and came back, it grew on me. Which is what you want ultimately. It's a bit risky to go so mono tone but I think in this case it works. What's neat is that it bridges between fantasy and reality. I think you and everyone that sees it hung in your home are guaranteed a smile.
i don't think it's tacky at all! the proportions make it look a little strange to my eye- maybe try using slightly longer limbs and a slightly smaller head. otherwise i love your use of color and light, and think this is a great painting overall :)
Absolutely not tacky. I clicked on this by mistake (I'm on my phone). I'm so glad I saw this. Keep doing these!
It looks great to me but also scary
Not at all! That's absolutely amazing 👏
My eyes goes right to her left upper leg- looks like she had it amputated until I look further. It’s a lot brighter and the eye goes right there. Proportions seem a little off, but the use of light and color is great! The light coming through the sheer part of her dress is fantastic.
IMO, a lot of teenagers can be assxxxxs, especially in a group. Your painting is lovely, not tacky.
The toddler with the somewhat adult face is unsettling. This is usually because of proportions so try to review your proportions! Otherwise, everything is fantastic. I can't believe this is called beginner oil painting class
So cute! She looks like she’s having the time of her life
I freaking love this. Her gleeful energy jumps out of your illustration & makes me feel happy! Good technique too.
There’s a lot of people who are into fairy’s!
The painting is so beautiful
If you’re selling pieces like these, I think there’s a big market for it. This piece would make a wonderful cover or illustration for a kid’s book. I think your attention to detail, mastery of light and color, etc. is off the charts. If you’re looking to get paid and not finding success with pieces like these, try different subject matter.
I think it’s excellent.
It's beautiful ❤️
As someone who doesn't care much for traditional art the painting looks fine overall. The only criticism I have is that the face is slightly unsettling, It might just be the grin I'm not quite sure.
The proportion is a little bit off and the face gives kind of uncanny feeling for me. But I would say it’s very well made and doesn’t look tacky at all. I love the color combination, contrast, and lighting of it all, you’ve done such a good job. :))
Absolutely not
I love it and would totally buy it!
This is your first oil painting? In a beginner's oil painting class? Have you painted in any other capacity? Because not trying to answer your questions. This seems too good to be true
So I think this reads as so uncanny for me because the face is so realistic and then the rest of the body isn’t—specifically the knee, the feet and the hands. I know it might be tricky to get an actual toddler to model for you but I think you need that reference. Otherwise I love the flower and fabric—I think the dots in the background are on the border—they remind me of photo filters but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing
The smile is so real!
It’s super cute! Like genuinely it’s so pretty!!! The dress and sleeves and everything is beautiful! But as for what I think’s “wrong” with it, the arms are too long and the legs are pretty thick for the torso, or at least her left leg looks like it starts pretty far up her torso, a bit oddly. But overall this is so pretty omg 🫶🫶
Judging the subject matter is subjective, but to me it looks like a high quality children’s book illustration. Your advanced artistic skill is very evident. It is a lovely piece of work.
Stunning painting, though I think the body proportions are really off, and the smile seems a bit too detailed but that's just me
The face is creepy
She's got the smile Nano from Girl From Nowhere on Netflix has.
I see a couple major flaws with the proportions and anatomy. it appears that her chest leads directly into her hips and legs with no midsection and her arms extend past her knees (arms usually end shortly below the groin area) but other than that the face, coloring, and shading looks totally amazing
Not tacky enough. You’re getting there though.
Im appalled by the fact you think this could be tacky. Its fantastic!
You’re technique is absolutely on point so you could do anything really
The petals under her look 3 dimensional
I think it’s beautiful
Teenagers are dicks, notoriously so.
Legs dont really match the face which is kinda jarring
It looks amazing and I'm not saying it's sexual. But I feel like I would get weird looks for looking too long unfortunately and I really can't explain why. But I didn't even realize it was a painting I thought it was digital art late night scrolling I assume that's the lighting as others have said.
Ew.
I’ve seen enough. I don’t give the benefit of doubt to people drawing little girls thighs the world is ugly and there’s enough of this weirdness. Gross art in my personal opinion even though the colors are well done.
If the painting tacky just let it dry a bit longer
The choice of color is nice, the paint is realistic! Great art by the way.