Does this work?

Trying to create astrological signs...this is the first attempt...does it work?

IMAGE LINK: http://s329.photobucke​t.com …ht%20Bull%20cop​y.jpg.html

Is this smoke again?

Opinion: Compared to the swans you've posted in the past, this one looks a little too - stamped out? It's no longer an adaptation of the lines of the smoke.

Bull, wat you do in spaces? It has no airs!

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chauncey wrote in post #17904723
Trying to create astrological signs...this is the first attempt...does it work?

Chauncey,

I like the idea you have and I think it is an interesting, worthwhile project.
But I don't think that this first attempt works as well as it could.

Why?
Well, I am a believer in that saying that basically says, "anything that is in the composition that isn't helping the composition is hurting it".

In this case, I would amend that saying to, "any lines, shapes, or textures that are in the bull, that aren't contributing to the essence and spirit of the bull, are hurting the bull".

I see a lot of shapes and forms within the bull graphic that don't make much sense, and I think that many of these small details are not contributing to the overall sense of strength and power of the bull. Nor do they seem to be contributing to the sense of dynamic motion that you are showing here. Nor do they contribute to the ethereal mood that it seems you are trying to create with this work.

One "line" in the bull seems to be severing its left rear leg off at the hock.

The very brightest areas on the bull seem to be distributed randomly; the tip of two of the hooves, the base of the tail, 2/3 of the way down the tail, the right rear inner thigh, and the edge of the right horn. The brightest/lightest areas of an image are usually what draw our eyes to them. Are you sure that the afore-mentioned body parts are really the areas that you want to place special emphasis on? Contrast is best used when it tells our eyes where to go; what is most important.

The indistinct "swirliness" that covers the side of the bull doesn't seem to fit in well with the rest of the bull. It's just this "messy" bit of graphic, whereas all of the other parts of the bull are formed from relatively clean, bold, and distinct lines. I can understand that indistinct, fading graphics can help to give an image an ethereal mood and feel, but in this case it is just stuck on the side of the bull, and isn't really found anywhere else. Perhaps if some of this "ethereal mist" were to be around the bull instead of on the bull, it might serve to "shroud the bull in mystique".

There is little contrast in the bull, relative to the overall composition. Our eyes tend to be drawn to the areas of greatest contrast, as well as to the brightest areas within an image. In this case, that would be the white stars (dots) against the black sky. My left brain is telling me that the bull is supposed to be the most important part of the image, but my right brain keeps pulling my eyes away from the bull, towards the bright stars. So my eyes and my brain are left at odds with one another, and that causes the image to not be as effective as it otherwise might be. Perhaps if you decided what parts of the bull you wanted to emphasize, you could use bright tones and more distinct bright/dark edges in those areas. Also, "dimming" the stars a little bit might help to keep them from stealing our eyes away from the bull. And the sky, the "matrix" of the composition, so to speak.....does it really have to be absolute jet black? Or could it be a little tiny bit lighter than jet black, while some of the parts of the bull very subtly fade into complete jet black? In other words, I am suggesting that some parts of the bull be darker than the sky that surrounds him. This might also be used to help give more visual emphasis on the bull and a bit less on the sky/star interface.

I really like what you did by accentuating the left shoulder muscle of the bull. The apparent "shadow" behind the muscular hump gives depth and form to the bull. That muscle hump gives visual expression to the concept of strength and power. Perhaps you could use similar effects on the rest of the bull? Instead of smoky swirls on the side of the bull you could have some muscle definition that furthers the sense of active power, and indomitability.

If you decide to keep working on this project and tweaking it until it becomes all that you want it to be, I would be very interested in seeing the outcome, as well as some of the different stages along the way!

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My sentiments exactly...

Hindsight being what it is...my error was outlining the bull and just throwing smoke inside then erasing everything outside of the drawing.
Appreciate the in-depth response Tom...basis for thought.

Great critique, Tom.