panoramic view of Sennen Cove in mixed media - to crop or not to crop?



Sennen Cove, Rainy Day, mixed media painting, 19.5 x 7.5 inches, Vivien Blackburn




For some reason I don't enjoy working on panoramas in this format - turn it to vertical and I love working on a long thin canvas or paper - horizontal? - no :>(




So I may well crop it to something like this and maybe get a further small painting cut out from the right hand side. What do you think? to crop or not to crop, that is the question.





possible crop?








detail of foreground rocks





detail of the sea

The photograph of the whole piece loses detail and texture so these are close ups of sections of the painting. It's a gloomy rainy day now and it was photographed with flash - never a very good idea, natural light is so much better.

other potential crops?




so ........ to crop or not to crop?

Comments

Yellow said…
The last crop is fantastic, very teasing, makes me want to go expolring. The others are a bit 'safe' but the last one I love totally.
6:48 pm
Rose Welty said…
Vivien, I'm only looking at it over the screen, but I'd say don't crop. The composition as is, IMHO, is dynamic and suggestive. I like the lines of the cove - they almost suggest the movement of water. I think the smaller crops lack the strength of those lines.

But, honestly, you should do what looks best in person. Your work is always impressive!
7:39 pm
Chris Bellinger said…
I like panoramic painting!
I like what I saw at the top.
The last phot was interesting, they all have potential!
8:00 pm
Jennifer Rose said…
The picture as a whole has a dramatic look to it, so I would personally leave it. But I do really like the bottom 2 crops so its a hard choice to make.
8:47 pm
dinahmow said…
I like the top one! But, hey! it's your decision!
12:32 am
Ann said…
Oh, I like the horizontal format and the big sweeping circular motion you get within this composition. But, I see what you mean with the square crop too - that also works very well. Hmmm. . maybe two pieces from this image?
1:48 am
annie said…
I probably will be no help to you because I absolutely love panoramas.
So, of course I like it as it is.
annie
3:39 am
harry bell said…
If you do decide to crop (and I'm not entirely convinced of the need to do so) I'd go for the first one you've posted here.
11:20 am
vivien said…
thank you all for really giving this some thought :>)

I'm no nearer deciding! Normally I decide pretty quickly on a crop but ...'safe' - yes that is indeed one of the things I'm not happy about.

I find it a difficult view to make a composition I'm happy with and yet in real life it's fabulous
12:01 pm
Unknown said…
Really difficult one for me because I love Sennen and the biggest wonder for me at Sennen IS that fanatstic panoramic view.
12:05 pm
Yellow said…
I've just come across images of Maggi Hambling's North Sea series on her website. http://www.maggihambling.com They're fantastic with similarities, and differences to yours.
3:34 pm
vivien said…
it is a fantastic view Chrissy :>) I want to go back in the Spring :>)

Steph - thanks for that link - I love Maggi Hamblings work and I'm off to look at it :>)
6:45 pm
Yellow said…
If I ever get round to talking more about my influences, she'll be near the top of the list.
7:03 am
Sylvia Jenstad said…
I like all your crops... but your pamorama view is just amazing!!
12:20 pm
Shirley Anne Sherris said…
Leave it panorama - that one has most effect - I am not a painter but I do like what we photographers call 'letterbox' images. I love long thin uprights too. Never been keen on squares but that's me.
Any more digital images pending? Love them best of all. I was even going to be cheeky and ask how you get those effects - the translucent ones.
Cheers
1:52 pm
vivien said…
thanks Sylvia and Shirley - the jury seems to be heading towards leaving it .....

maybe I'll try it on Etsy - I can always cut it down later if it doesn't sell
7:22 pm
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Eye, Urban/Rural exhibition

Image
Vivien Blackburn's work in the Urban/Rural show We've just hung a group show at the The Eye Project, Urban/Rural show.  If you want to come and see it it's on for a month - well worth seeing, 11 lovely artists and some fabulous work. Those large canvasses are 40 inches square. There are rural landscapes, flowerscapes, intriguing textile work including a large knitted building, abstracts .... something for everyone. It's in the gallery below the cafe in the Adult Education Centre at the top of Wellington street, Leicester, opposite Fenwicks.  Meet the Arttists day is Saturday 1st April 10-2.  Come and have a chat with us?
Read more

Hedges silhouetted agains the snow, winter light: watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal pencils in Stillmand and Birn Beta Hardback sketchbook

Image
 Detail  I have always liked the calligraphic tangle of the hedges when they are sihouetted against the sky.   Recent snowfall meant even more opportunities with amazing light and the landscape simplified and hidden by the snow, throwing hedges into relief. Above is a detail of a double page sketch in the lovely Stillman and Birn Beta A4 hardback sketchbook.  This paper is so forgiving and the watercolour works beautifully with it.  It allowed me to work through wet washes with charcoal pencil - something that tears many papers, leaving holes.  Some of the hedge is paint, some tinted charcoal. First snow, more on the way, winter light: silhouetted hedges in watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal in a Stillman and Birn A4 beta hardback sketchbook The earlier warm golden glow of the low sun is covered by clouds, threatening more snow to come.   The spiky calligraphic marks of the hedge and the underlying form of the bank, with some of the taller dried grasses showing
Read more

looking at non traditional composition and quiet vs busy areas in paintings

Image
Paul Klee I thought I'd look at non-traditional composition - where the rule of thirds isn't the key but the painting relies on different compositional methods. in response to an excellent series of posts on the various ways of looking at composition by Katherine (link at end). These alternative considerations or breaking of rules - but making it work - appeal to me more than too heavy a reliance on the rule of thirds. The painting above, by Paul Klee is a 'field' painting' - the composition is overall, the eye travels around enjoying the glowing colour that he creates by juxtaposing complementary colours, subtle greyed greens enhancing the oranges/reds/pinks. Most of the image is composed of the various greens, greeny browns and khakis, with accents of the warm colours. When working this way it's important that the balance is unequal and that the accent colours are placed carefully to keep the eye moving in the way the artist wants. A couple of the brighter
Read more