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beckellie — Masquerade
#bal #ball #bird #costume #feathers #mask #owl #owlmask #dress #green #mascarade #masquerade #masquerademask #prettydress #redhead
Published: 2015-11-11 04:55:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 1268; Favourites: 56; Downloads: 0
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Description
Aaaaaaaand I made it in time for the contest! Barely too
My entry for Fantasy-Arts 's contest www.deviantart.com/journal/CON…
I'm both happy and unhappy with this piece. I'm happy because it looks swell, but I'm unhappy with it because it doesn't give off the vibe I had in mind when I started working on it. I wanted to make something festive and bright, a bit carnival-inspired. With tons of details and soft colors. But I got lost on the way. So lost @_@
With retrospect, I think I started to go astray when I decided to add those huge, red curtains. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but when I was done with it, the curtains were all over the place, looking bland and way too eye-catching. By that time, the piece was mostly finished and there was very little I could do to change the eye focus.
Aaaaaand that's when I had to ruin it by adding those horrible dark serpentine thingies hanging from the roof. I swear, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Honest. Ughhh.
I think the dancing lights mostly make up for these horrible, formless black paper strips. Mostly, anyway.
Lesson of the day: never make cheap last minute-additions to a painting. Ever.
Time: About 15 hours
Tools: Watercolor, black ink, white ink, and colored pencils
Anyway, wish me luck for the contest!
*Edit* I acually won the first prize!
I'm so happy! Thanks to everyone who voted for me 
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Comments: 14
👍: 1 ⏩: 0
In all honesty, not bought on it. Sounds like nothing but a classic BS artistic self-bashing device. Clearly you were so pleased with these choices that wanted the public to comment on them. No need, everyone who have eyes and can see will pay attention.
It does not take an artist (which I'm not) to notice that the composition was planned like this right from the start, the space on right and top would've felt really awkward without these elements. As for the colors, the green dress would stand out less against anything but red. With a lighter non-contrasting color or lighter red, would've seemed empty again.
I must say, I'm impressed how merry it seems at the first glance. At second, it's not just dark (the shadowy tentacles contribute as well), but also masonic and unsetting. The woman masquerading as an owl and the owl as a woman... Oh damn, might be vice versa, due to woman's inhuman proportions and anatomy, and human-like of the owl whose feathers look more like a cloth texture than actual feathers.
The owls aren't what they seem (c).
In the unlikely case that you were indeed honest about that, you've got far more than bargained for, inadvertently creating something deeper than intended.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Well, I really like both the curtains and the black paper strips! 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Very good work! Dress and hair are my favorite parts! "never make cheap last minute-additions" You have no idea how much it is true... but do not worry, this is not as bad as you think. My eyes are not disturbed by these blacks on the roof and they first focus on woman.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you! I also think those are the best elements of the piece - and ironically, they were the easiest part to paint too, haha! I almost wish I didn't bother with a bg at all, but practice is practice, right?
I know in the back of my mind somewhere that it isn't so bad, but I can't help it, whenever I look at the piece, I only see those ugly things! It's like they're glaring at me, ugh!
Thanks again for the comment
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
This is common to all artists. I think we are all bothered my mistakes that a lot of people will not notice. This is terrible but we can't do anything against it. No worry about comments, I always enjoy write them.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Whaa! This is gorgeous! Amazing job on the dress and details! ;w;
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You're welcome!<33
👍: 0 ⏩: 0