Coyote Heaven.

[jason_maranto]

7.5 x 12.5 inch... crits please.
http://www.geocities.com/jason_maranto/coyote_heaven.jpg

Best,
Jason.

[Richlll]

WOW! Jason, I can see and feel this breeze, my best advice for you at this point would be to paint at least 3000 more paintings ASAP. Awesome... The color is great and the look of texture you've achieved is very cool. Are you able to post some larger details of this piece?

[sabine]

Well done!
quite realistic and still rather poetic...

Does anyone know how many cm makes an inch??

[Bert Congdon]

Very fine, plus all of the above. That coyote could enjoy that breeze if she weren't so damn hungry.

[Salamander]

Really Verry nice Jason. You can just feel that breeze! Nice depth of colour.

[PhilS]

Brilliant, Jason! Nice dramatic tension. Can't find anything to criticise!

[RobM]

Jason
Yup, good work. Myself I do have a slight problem with the bottom left corner...I've had probs with corners before not knowing what to put in and then slightly overdoing it....it grabs my eye but doesn't lead me into the subject. It keeps distracting me!!
Also the purple flowers, maybe have them strengthened around the coyote and then less defined the further away from the subject you go. I think the top background
and left ground could be a little less busy... it would then make you focus on the coyote and the atmosphere you have so well achieved, as Salamander says, you can feel that breeze (however I don't feel the breeze on the plants). If you cover up some of the image just see how much more strength you gain around the coyote. These crits are all so subjective, I admire all who put up there work here. I wouldn't change anything now, the painting would loose any spontineity but maybe a few pointers for the future..........others will disagree....but that is art!!!
Rob

[Thylacine]

Well done!
quite realistic and still rather poetic...

Does anyone know how many cm makes an inch??

Sabine,

There are 2.54 centimetres to the inch. So the picture is approximately 19 x 32 cm.

Steve

[Alexandra van Cruyningen]

Absolutely fabulous Jason! I do agree with Rob M about the bottom left corner, but that is just an opinion, it is no critique, wouldn't dream of it after all it is just a matter of taste. The animal is so beautiful I found that grey bush a bit distracting. Personally I would not let anything distract from that so well painted animal.
Greetings, Alex.

[David McKay]

Jason, I have been pondering the comment that Rob made (and more recently Alex) about the bottom left corner of your painting and for what it is worth, I disagree with them. I think the grey colour area with its shapes and texture reflects some of the elements in the coyote and harmonizes with it. Because the grey shape cuts diagonally across the corner I think it helps to lead ones eye up the left side of the painting and back around into the main part of the picture. The field in your work is beautifully rendered with it's lush colours and texture! Very well done! David

[sabine]

Thank you Thylacin, I couldn't find the information!

I like the left corner too ;)

[Alessandra Kelley]

I don't mind the grey stuff either (sage?). Its softness brushes you on to the sharper focused painting of the other plants and the animal.

I like the feeling of atmosphere in this painting. Not just the wind, but the intensity of light and shadow on the coyote which shows you just exactly what kind of a day it is.

I wonder what those purple flowers are that they resist the wind so much. Of course, that goes to show how strong the sense of wind is in this painting.

No one has mentioned this, but I like the way you signed your work. It's distinctive without being obtrusive.

It's a sweet little painting.

[JeanM]

Jason, this is a beautiful piece. Your textures are well done and you've caught the wild spirit of the coyote in his natural environment. I like the soft grey grass in the lower left. I think it holds the viewer's eye in the painting, keeping it from wandering out of the picture by pointing back to the coyote.
Alessandra said she likes the way you signed your work. Where did you do it? I can't find it.

[jason_maranto]

Thanks to all... I always consider all crits carefully and appreciate the time everyone put into commenting on my work.

I have been told by those who know my work well that egg tempera is my medium, I like it very much and it feels quite natural to me... we have egg tempera workshops in my gallery periodically (not led by me) and so it keeps me in the medium for at least that much.

I'd like to begin working larger in the near future and have bought some larger panels -- I've had good luck selling egg tempera works in my gallery so I hope that continues.

My signature is really sort of a symbol near the coyote in red-brown which contains all the letters of my full name (in representative form)... I like it because it can often look less like a signature and more like a part of the artwork.

It seems I left the halo too subtle as many visitors to my gallery didn't even notice it... I may work some more on it -- I did want it to seem a natural part of picture...

Best,
Jason.

[JeanM]

Jason, now I can see the symbol for your signature. I like it because it blends in with the surrounding earth color.

[David McKay]

Hi Jason: Very interesting about the halo....I missed it too. I thought it was a couple of pieces of grass bent over by the wind. Maybe it should be white ish??? David

[gdsanders]

Outstanding brush work. I love the detail and the feeling of the wind you've imparted into this piece.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Oh, I thought that halo was grass also.

Hmm ...

I think the literalness of the halo may actually detract from the impact of the painting. Even without the title, the image powerfully shows the idea of a heavenly environment for coyotes. With the title, everything you need is conveyed. The halo may push it a bit too far.

I still like the painting, just to be clear.

[jpohl]

know this was posted some time ago, but if anyone happens back this way, just wanted to say I really enjoy the abstraction and movement in this piece... from what I've seen tempera is a wonderful medium for animal paintings, isn't it?

[jason_maranto]

Tempera is great for animal painting -- it does fur exceedingly well and I tend to paint the initial layers pretty broadly with a 1" brush (just very thinned down) so it really doesn't take that long. No matter what medium you use when you shoot for that type of detail it's going to take some time...

I'm glad you like it.

Best,
Jason.