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Forums > Gallery/Topic by Medium > Oil
Subject: Night at the Opera II

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billmahler

Posts:206
02/18/2008 11:22 AM Alert 

24X42 on board

Someone saw the first one (the one with the grey dress 12X24) and commissioned a larger one with a red dress.
This is the largest painting I've done and it took longer than I'm used to painting.


My family likes grey, but the commissioner likes red. Which looks better?

I wasn't sure what color to make the stair carpet, so it's kind of blah. Any ideas?


Any suggestions, comments, critiques are welcome.








..send ye not therefore to know for whom the bell tolls- it tolls for thee. John Donne
Kim
Posts:435
02/18/2008 1:01 PM Alert 
Bill, I like the red dress a lot more (but I love bright colors). The red of her dress is hinted in her lip color and the warmth is carried to the golden hand rail, which gives cohesiveness in my opinion. And I think this works well because of the muted backdrop and stairs. The green in the lower right serves well, too. I'm one for drama and the first one provides more, I think.

However, they are both painted very well. You're sure to be successful with either one.
mikec@pols

Posts:864
02/18/2008 6:37 PM Alert 
Wow! I'm torn on this...I like em both, but if I had to choose it would be red.
Mike
"You either grow or regress...nothing stays the same...." (unknown)
"A man may fall several times in life, but he is not a failure until he says that he was pushed..."




www.portraitsoflifestudio.com
gene
Posts:1245
02/19/2008 7:10 AM Alert 
I guess I like the red best too, but the grey one is equally impressive. Thanks for posting. Gene
Jim

Posts:2337
02/19/2008 1:34 PM Alert 
Definitely the red. Just partial to the color.
Jim

www.paintingsbyjim.com
All the best,
Jim

www.paintingsbyjim.com
Snowartist

Posts:196
02/20/2008 2:26 AM Alert 
I like both. One teeny thing. The bow on the dresses is quite large. Is it supposed to be that large? Your paintings are very nice,, I don't care for the huge bow. Also the bottom painting, has a more finished look to it.
You do nice work. BTW congrats on the painting of Bush!
Lona
River

Posts:360
02/20/2008 3:41 PM Alert 

Hi Bill: I guess I'm the only one...but I love the plumy cool colors better. I'm not sure why people prefer different colors...but bright colors don't do it for me. Cool colors show taste I think. Although some people handle all the warms well...keeping them in balance some how.

So for me...I would not be caught dead in a big red dress...but the blues and greens do it best.

And for the painting as well since I guess we aren't really discussing fashion. The blues and plums seem to come out from the setting in the painting instead of just being stuck on. She is more a part of the setting.When the rail on the cooler toned one gets brought up to the higher shine...the contrast will be marvelous. As for the red one...best when richer and not too orange...right?
sboyko
Posts:55
02/20/2008 5:17 PM Alert 
I like them both, but I like the grey one better. I'm not sure I like the grey one better because of the grey/blue color, but I like the execution of that painting better than the execution of the red version, which seems kind of hard-edged where the model's skin meets the background on the left. Light comes forward, and that hard edge makes her left back/shoulder come forward at the edge instead of rounding off. Same thing with the red bow on the left side, compare that to how well you painted the left edge of the grey bow. I agree with the above comment, make the red really red, and show a little reflection of the red into the carpet. I do like the lips and the red dress very much.
NaomiBlvs

Posts:164
02/20/2008 11:14 PM Alert 
I love the red one. There is a sense of gentle elegance to her.
Wishing you peace and prosperity,
Naomi
www.naomisstudio.com
River

Posts:360
02/21/2008 10:20 AM Alert 

Looked one more time...can't wait to see these done...but

wonder if the dress does not come high enough under the right arm... as a women I am thinking it could not be covering her properly from there...so it distracts me...but that may be because you have not done those details yet.
Maggie429

Posts:441
02/21/2008 10:54 AM Alert 
I like the grey.  It makes the painting more mysteriously elegant.  The red immediately makes it bold and sassy.  My vote - Grey.
Mgi
www.hoviscreations.com
billmahler

Posts:206
02/21/2008 9:21 PM Alert 
Thanks to all for your kind comments and suggestions.
The red dress seems to be the favoriite.
River, you're right about the edges on the red one, too sharp. I'll fix them.
The red onei is twice the size of the grey, hence I could do more detail.. that can be a blessing and a curse.. some of you noted correctly that the grey one has more mystery and atmosphere. I'll have to work on that with the red one.
To be continued.. thanks very much again
..send ye not therefore to know for whom the bell tolls- it tolls for thee. John Donne
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Forums > Gallery/Topic by Medium > Oil > Night at the Opera II


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