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whimandwonder — Her Shelled Heart
Published: 2013-04-12 06:24:25 +0000 UTC; Views: 754; Favourites: 29; Downloads: 3
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Description
There are those who wear their heart open, soft, and squishy... and those who need a shell.For critiques: I'd love to know your impressions on the composition and mood, if you think it's delivered well, and what you got from the meaning of the piece. Anatomy/shading issues, of course. How do you feel about the mix of the acrylic shell/heart and the pencil figure? Do they complement each other in an interesting way, or do they seem too separate?
Acrylic paint and black colored pencil
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Comments: 42
awesome piece! I love how you did the shell, i can see you put a lot of work into it, but it doesn't look over-done, and that is really great! Personally I don't think you need any class, you get obviously better with each piece, but that's me and me internal rebel that just can't stand anyone telling me what to do. The heart inside - it may not look like an anatomical heart, but the impression of a heart is really strong, and because it's such dark, lively red, it looks just spectacular in that delicate beige shell. This part is really well done and you should be proud of yourself! for the girl - the mouth covering gesture, to me it is more about not telling some secret, or after you just involuntarily told something you shouldn't, i think i'd get the "crying" more if she was covering her eyes - but then again, i think it depends greatly of the attitude of the person seeing this piece - eyes covered with a hand may come off as "facepalm", so - your choice is better
But to the artwork - i think the woman here might benefit from a slightly darker tone, a bit of deep, dark black here and there? just a little. And the bottom right corner part.. it's empty. Why be it so empty? gimme something there... ocean waves, something.
yes, i can see how my "valuable advice" will benefit you 
Great work, really!
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Haha, well the reason I say I need class is because I never actually *know* what I'm doing. I just kinda fling paint around until it accidentally lands in a good spot, heh. I want to *know* more, so that I can go into things a little less of a nervous wreck, and also be able to know how to create the ideas in my head.
It's funny that you mention the crying gesture, I was talking with someone else just recently about that very thing. As I told her, I didn't really see until *after* that it doesn't look much like she's crying. I wasn't going for out-and-out sobbing, more of the... after-moments of crying, or something. But yeah, it does look like she's trying to keep in a secret. The symbolism of the heart could still fit though. We often don't say things that would make us vulnerable.
Oh the emptiness? Hmm, what was going on there... I made this piece almost a year ago... I think I just liked the negative space.
Noooooo!! Don't keep your comments to yourself!! They help me!
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I love love love it when someone asks for critique and then lists the things they want feedback on! Makes it so much easier to leave something helpful 
About the painting part - it is UTTERLY gorgeous! 
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I really should leave critique questions on more of my pieces - I forgot I had written those other ones. Thanks for the reminder. 
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I gave some thought to that flowing hair, too. It's not a bad touch but there are other things you could do with it, too, like weave it around the shoulders, or make it resonate a little bit with the shape of the arteries. In this case I don't think negative space helps you enhance the picture, on the contrary, if you had a tighter more cluttered composition it would increase the feeling of being trapped/being encased in a shell. Negative space does work well on a number of your other paintings, though, so I understand the appeal. 
Yeah, a subtle crying reference isn't easy to find. It would also depend on your personal preferences. One hand is nice, though, at least it worked well for me. The profile point of view is also suitable but as you said, maybe a bit more level. Oh and you know what? You could try and draw the fingers as if they are digging into the cheek to create an impression of forced control. That might give you a bit more impact.
And to wrap it up here's an example of what I had in mind that will hopefully inspire you images.web-m.org/img3/1109/sve…
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Oh, what a great insight! I didn't think of that! How a cramped image would actually relate to the metaphor... Awesome! And yeah, digging fingers would have looked a lot better. Ooh, great painting - I see what you mean about the artery.
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Btw this is one of my favourite Bulgarian painters. I recently went to his 80th anniversary exhibition and it was so emotional. Ofc given that his painting reflect one of the most depressing periods in our history. But it was one of those so incredibly powerful sad things that you cannot help but also feel the beauty of it as pleasure.
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What period of your history is that? What happened?
I know what you mean - sometimes the sadness of something just makes it more beautiful, because it expresses it so profoundly and movingly.
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Well, as I look back the whole period after we were invaded by the Turks, through the whole period of slavery, then shortlived happiness after the independence was announced, the two world wars, the balkan wars and up to this very day is a bad period
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Oh dear, that IS a bad period. 
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Captivating. Very expressive especially with the use of body language to bring out the vulnerability. at first i wasn‘t sure about the penciling, i thought it was too soft in tone compared to the detail and work in the shelled heart. but it just works so perfectly in almost bringing the heart out of the page. very inspiring.
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Thank you so much! I'm really glad you feel that way.
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This smashes my heart, literally. Which is to say, I think you *caught* whatever you were going for. The shell & the hand over the mouth & everything else so subtle & quiet about the piece. It's almost like the rest of it is on "mute". It all works together so well. The shell does stand out & also... for me, I see the pieces behind it that might be veins or whatnot more like cracks. Because that is what happens when we hold ourselves together & like this for too long.
Smashed my heart, yes.
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Oh Kim, I'm so glad you like this piece and that you had such a strong reaction to it... I actually had a sneaking feeling when I was making this that you would respond to it. Your comments were amazing and thoughtful, thank you.
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Scintilating , just love love love your Expressive Heart !....... So gorgeous ... Sigh
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Aww, thank you thank you!!
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Oh wow, this is beautiful!!
Your paintings are quite powerful and full of emotion. I'd love to leave a critique, but I need some practice before I'm going to be good at giving one
When I first saw it, before the description reading, I saw it as a woman/girl who was hiding something. Like, she was afraid to speak her mind out of fear of being rejected (therefore the heart, representing emotion, maybe, is being protected by the shell as long as she keeps her mouth covered.) Well, that's how I see it 
I like the mix of the acrylic and the colored heart/shell. It obviously leads it to be the central focus, however, it might be good if there were little hints of color in the girl as well, so they might look a bit more 'joined'? But it is your work, and changing it would change the message, so leave it be, I think. c:
Great job, lovely work
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Thank you so much! I'm really flattered to receive a comment from someone so beautifully talented! 
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this is so creative and clever! i like your way of showing vulnerability. and the contrast between the coloured shell and the black and white of the girl is lovely xD for me the girl being in black and white seems to show how she doesn't want to be noticed, how shes afraid of being hurt.. that was me being all thoughtful and deep but i really like it :3
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Thank you! I like your thoughtful interpretation, that makes a lot of sense to me.
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your welcome! yay-just glad u understood what I meant xD
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So creative, expressive and involving. I love how you play with colours, leading the viewer to focus on the most emotive elements of your drawing.
The composition and the angle you chose is absolutely amazing.
The mixed media really suit the piece, and I like how well blended it looks overall. The acrylic is not-too-bright.
Very balanced overall.
It's a very intense piece, communicative and striking. I really love it!
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Thank you SO much for such amazing compliments. I'm deeply touched by your words, and I'm so glad you felt something with this piece. I'm also glad you think the mixed media/acrylic worked well, I wasn't sure at first. Glad to hear it's being received well! Again, thank you
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Very nice concept. You definitely portrayed it nicely. I like how you did the heart as well. Quite an emotional piece.
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Wow this is lovely. Its so unique, beautiful and scary at the same time. I really like this drawing. Its wonderful
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Thank you so much for such a great compliment! I'm glad it could give you that reaction.
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Your very welcome
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This looks really amazing, and the concept is so true. Most people do feel the need to shield themselves when they're feeling vulnerable. I think that your delivery of this is completely awesome. I love the idea of the heart inside the shell. That is super creative. Definitely not something I could have come up with, but the idea is genius and the two work together wonderfully. I particularly like the way you rendered the heart. It is quite obvious that it's a heart, but I like how you didn't go into too much gory detail with it. What I mean is that, a human heart, while an incredibly amazing organ, isn't necessarily visually attractive, and the way that you've rendered it here give someone the idea that yes, this is a heart but it's doesn't take away from the aesthetic beauty of the piece. Not that I think all art needs to be "pretty" but with a piece like this, any gore such as dripping blood, excessive veins, ect would actually take away from the piece and it's meaning, in my opinion. So bravo with your choices there! The shell is beautiful and I think you did an excellent job with the paint. I don't know paint either but I think if this is an example of you "not knowing paint" then I'd love to see what you could do if you did know it. You really did some extraordinary things with that shell. I think it does what it was intended to do. The heart is safely tucked inside and they go well together.
I absolutely love the way you drew the woman as well. Her hand is beautiful! I love the detail of the fingers and the hair blowing around the face paired with the plain background gives the whole piece a sort of eerie, alone type of feeling, which is consistent when someone who feels vulnerable. This is amazing!
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WOW, I'm really touched that you had so many thoughts about this piece! Thank you thank you. I'm glad you liked the rendering of the heart - I agree, a gory heart would not have been an appropriate decision, but I did want to give some kind of biological depiction. Even though the heart is an organ/muscle, we still traditionally associate the heart with emotion even though we know that's not actually where it comes from.
I'm pleased with the paint, but that's because I took an extremely long time with it. It was very difficult for me personally and I did t know what I was doing, I was figuring it out as I went, so that's what I mean by "not knowing paint." I have some great examples of me REALLY not knowing paint elsewhere 
I'm really glad you picked up on that "alone" feeling. I love that you could feel that emotion.
Again, thank you SO much for such an in-depth response!
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You are very welcome. I really love to leave in-depth comments to people who truly appreciate them. I thought the heart was genius. You did an excellent job of including it's biological aspects while still making it pleasing to the eye. The heart has such a symbolic meaning for sure, so again, I think that was a really brilliant idea on your part.
I would probably take a long time with paint as well, and still botch it up. I really have no idea of how to use it or mix colors. I'm sure I could learn, if I had the money to buy it and the time to teach myself, but paint is a whole different world of artistic medium. Maybe when my son grows up a little I'll give it a go, but for now, I'll stick to my pencils. He can't make a mess with those, lol! Yes, that alone feeling was very prominent in this piece. It's amazing how you were able to incorporate such small details into this and they had such a big effect. The empty background paired with the hair blowing in all different directions. Those kind of give the illusion that no one is around for miles. Very well done. You're most welcome again for the comment. It was my pleasure! I'll have to take a visit to your gallery again and comment of some different pieces.
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Wow, I LOVE that interpretation! Of the wind in the hair giving the feeling that no one is around for miles. I wish I could say I did that on purpose, but alas...
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I'm sure it was an unconscious feeling. If you think about it, a lot of imagery we have that is representative of loneliness has similar aspects. A lone person with little color around, their hair blowing out in strings around them. I remember seeing a poster or a photo or something that had just such an image of a woman. She was standing near the water and the sunlight was almost white, so it was this illusion of a washed out colorless background, and she was all alone, her back to the viewer with her hair blowing around. I just remember feeling sad and lonely just looking at it. So it's definitely something that is present.
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Wow, I got goosebumps (literally - real goosebumps) when I read that description and envisioned it. Such a haunting image. I've never seen this photo you're talking about but I think I may have to borrow the idea and draw it myself, how I see it in my mind.
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It gave me goosebumps when I saw it. I really wish I could find that image again, but it's been years since I've seen it. I think you'd do a fantastic job creating something like that though.
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This is so *runs through her mind, trying to find the right word* amazing-wonderful-scary-sad.
I don't think you need any schooling, your feel for the paint and colours seem to come quite natural to you. Just like your sense for composition.
The picture makes me sad, though. Maybe because it's hitting too close to home?
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Aww, thank you so so so much. I like all of those words.
Hehe, well thank you, I'm glad it LOOKS that way (
Again, thank you so much for the comment
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I really love the way you have painted the shell/heart, especially all of the little details on the shell itself. The hair is really nicely drawn and I like the softness of the figure but I am kind of unsure whether I like the contrast between her and the details of the shell/heart or if it makes it too seperate. I do like it, I always love contrast in styles/mediums in drawings, but I think it may possibly need something to tie them together a bit more (perhaps extending the arm of the figure more so that they overlap or including some coloured pencil shading around the heart/shell or some smaller elements of paint within the figure - strands of hair, small amounts of shading etc? I'm not sure).
I love the composition, I think it works really well - particularly how you can only see the bottom part of the face because with the addition of the hand that is all that you need to convay emotion in the drawing.
Personally for me I thought pain/sorrow when I saw this and the shell restricting the heart - like trying to stay strong in a sad/emotional time but not quite managing it as the heart is partly 'escaping' which has lead to the emotion in the top part of the image (if that even makes sense lol).
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Yes, I absolutely agree with you. I was trying very hard to think of a way to interact them, but I honestly had no idea how. I was very reluctant to add paint to the figure because I'm already not confident in my painting skills so I didn't want to ruin it. I DID shade around the heart actually, but then I erased it because it looked odd. Maybe I just need to do it differently. Drawing more of the figure (so that it looks more like the heart is inside her body) would probably help. You know though, I thought the same as you when I first looked at it, but the more I look at it the more the separation grows on me. But I don't know if that's just because I'm used to it.
Thank you so much for your other comments too, I'm really glad you liked it. That's a really interesting interpretation, and not that far from what I had in mind. It's the same realm of emotion. Even if your interpretation is different from what I intended, I'm still really glad that you got a strong meaning from it of some kind.
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