Leopard with Procreate changes.

[dcurrie911]

Time to put it aside for a bit. i’m Open to suggestions.

 

[mdengraver]

Awesome!

 

[monk]

uh, that uh, well, looks rather spiffy. spiffy being xtremely good.

 

[SamW]

Beware of overkill!

 

[dcurrie911]

thanks Sam but the comment followed by the ! Implies I have already crossed a line. Can you elaborate?

 

[JMiller]

Time to put it aside for a bit. i’m Open to suggestions.

looks great Dan, I might would slightly darken/ shade behind the scroll just a bit where the neck meets to separate them… just my preference,

 

[dcurrie911]

Thanks Jeff. Do you mean to simply darken the stippling around the existing scroll ,leaves. Or darken the lower part of the cat?

 

[SamW]

It looks just great Dan and no, you have not crossed any line. I just mean be careful to not overdo it in an attempt to add more. I don't mean leave it alone if you think of more you want to do but it sure looks great as is.

 

[dcurrie911]

Thanks Sam. I understand. Any cutting from here will be carefully thought out.

 

[mdengraver]

Cancelled

 

[JMiller]

Thanks Jeff. Do you mean to simply darken the stippling around the existing scroll ,leaves. Or darken the lower part of the cat?

Yes, darken the lower part of the cat for contrast.

 

[AllenClapp]

Sam's comment about stopping before going too far struck home with me. I used to suffer from the going too far syndrome with my paintings. I finally started making myself start asking myself as I got closer to a finish if the painting was to the point that I would not be embarrassed to have it go out with my name on it. When it gets to that point, I sign them and leave them alone for a day, a week, or more while I work on something else. When I started doing that and got back to them, I usually found that it fit the 40:40:20 rule--40% of the time, I slap my hand and put it up for good, 40% of the time I found that a little tweak here or there (usually having to do with contrast, but sometimes with composition), and 20% of the time it is "What in the world was I thinking?" Since starting to be religious about that process, I find that my percentages are more toward the 60:30:10 ratio and above. I find that I now more frequently intentionally stop, step back, and give the painting a quick check for contrast and composition--and that has helped my results (and painting sales) nicely. The good thing about that process is that, when I do find something that needs tweaking, it is much easier to do.

 

[dcurrie911]

Thanks everyone. It seems as though putting it aside for a bit is the general consensus.

 

[FANCYGUN]

Dan bring it over to the colorado springs show in two weekd would love to see it
marty

 

[dcurrie911]

I’d love to Marty, but I live in FL now.

 

[dcurrie911]

I made some changes in Procreate. Better?

 

[Leland Davis]

Dan, No it was fine before. The only thing that I can see is the leaves on the right and left side of your engraving are cut deeper and and look like they are in front of the leopard even appears you put shadows in. The scrolls between are blending in with the cat. It may be the angle of the photo I don't know. To me it looks like you could just recut the scroll outlines to separate the scrolls from the cat, but remember I know nothin.
Thanks always good to see your work, Leland

 

[dcurrie911]

Thanks Leland. Interesting observation…. The areas to the left and right of the top leaves are stipple background for the scroll portion and I never noticed that they are very nearly in line with the cat body. Poor planning on my part. I had a little bit of residual transfer white in the stippling and scroll cuts that I have since cleaned out so there is more delineation now.

 

[mdengraver]

This is what I was afraid of! If you nitpick it to death you run the risk of over working it. I think it's a masterpiece, and should be left alone! Remember everyone will have opinions, doesn't mean they are right, you should take control, you are the artist! The question is, are you satisfied with it? Also is that shading making his face look too narrow?

 

[dcurrie911]

Thanks for the feedback and compliment. I haven’t touched the metal since the initial post and may not. One of the things I like most about this site is the feedback and subsequent learning for not only myself but others as well. Yes, perhaps the face is too narrow now.