139 replies to this topic

[Ifat Glassman]

I would love to hear your thoughts about my art.
ifatart.com
The paintings, sketches and drawings in my site are works that I've done over the last 6 years or so.
My older paintings are more in the style of Fantasy art, or what I call Symbolic art, and my later paintings describe real life situations. A few of my works are directly related to Ayn Rand's novels.
The quality of the technique also varies according to age of the painting (the later ones are better).
Here is one of my best works:


Hope you enjoy, and please tell me what you think.

[Bold Standard]

I did enjoy these. Thanks. I liked the ones that were less cartoonish best. Some of your ladies are pretty sexy. I do have one question though..

 circus.jpg   65.91K   328 downloads

WTF? lol..

[Ifat Glassman]

Bold Standard, I like the way you phrase your questions . The answer is that I was always repulsed by people's reactions for threats and unordinary things (complete terror, helplessness, a desire to avoid being in contact with everything that is not familiar). This painting was a rebellion against it. I took a place that people consider to be a source of safe amusement, and turned it into a place where people had to face things that were not a part of their everyday life. They had to decide whether or not to stay and view the show (and pretend it's a normal part of it), to try and run away in panic and trample all over each other, to resist...
And on the other hand there is the monster's trainer which has conquered her fears, and she is friends with the monsters. She is not afraid of unordinary things, she is thrilled to deal with dangerous things and to conquer them. The painting sharpens the difference. If you see the details of the painting (I'm going to put a detailed photo of it, but it's going to be bulky in memory), each person in the crowd has their own facial expression. Some of them are brave, they don't try to close their eyes and pretend it isn't there. They examine the situation and think of ways to deal with it, they are ready to take action if necessary (and they don't run while screaming "out of my way").
I would probably not paint this sort of painting today, and the idea behind it does not appear in any other work of mine.
As for the sexy women: It's important to say that I don't see a direct relation between nudity and sexuality. For me, when I paint a woman naked, it's not a symbol of her sexuality, but a way to show the essence of her character in the most direct way.
Oh, and I like your questions, keep them coming .

Edited by ifatart, 26 July 2006 - 06:43 AM.

[Cnqwst]

I would love to hear your thoughts about my art.
ifatart.com
The paintings, sketches and drawings in my site are works that I've done over the last 6 years or so.
My older paintings are more in the style of Fantasy art, or what I call Symbolic art, and my later paintings describe real life situations. A few of my works are directly related to Ayn Rand's novels.
The quality of the technique also varies according to age of the painting (the later ones are better).
Here is one of my best works:


Hope you enjoy, and please tell me what you think.

Ifat

I especially like the painting of the girl in the nursery. Why is there a square around her body? Imagination +1.

Cnqwst

[Ifat Glassman]

Thanks Cnqwst. Those are glass shelves. if you look to the sides you'll see flowerpots placed on them. The one that crosses the woman's body below the waist simply has nothing standing on it, so only the edge of the shelve is visible.
I hope someday that I will have a scanned version of this painting. What you see now is a photograph done with a digital camera. The result is pretty good but the problem with it is that it makes the lines of the paintings less sharp, and fine details get lost. I'm working on getting a better photo of it. once I have it I'll give the link here...

[Bold Standard]

Thanks Cnqwst. Those are glass shelves. if you look to the sides you'll see flowerpots placed on them. The one that crosses the woman's body below the waist simply has nothing standing on it, so only the edge of the shelve is visible.
I hope someday that I will have a scanned version of this painting. What you see now is a photograph done with a digital camera. The result is pretty good but the problem with it is that it makes the lines of the paintings less sharp, and fine details get lost. I'm working on getting a better photo of it. once I have it I'll give the link here...

Wow. Hm, I didn't get that at all, from looking at it. So, she's surrounded by the shelves on all sides? How did she get in there? Why doesn't the shelf that appears below her waist refract any light, or alter the angle at which her body appears at all?

[JASKN]

Yeah, I wondered how she got in there, too. And I also didn't realize the lines were glass shelves.

[Bold Standard]

I think "Sky of Gold" and "Celebrating Life" are my favorites.
 skyofgold.jpg   29.46K   158 downloads
What's that line connecting the two buildings on either side of the smoke stack, in the bottom left corner?

[Ifat Glassman]

The glass shelve in front of her is above her head, and closer to the viewer than she is. Since we are looking at the room from above (in an angle of about 45 deg) it looks below her waists. The shelve itself doesn't reflect light, only the tip of it, because that's the kind of glass shelves that I am familiar with: The kind that only the tip is not see-through. Another detail that is hard to notice is the ice formed on the shelve in the top left corner, next to the air conditioner. Usually flowers are kept at a really low temperature...

As for "sky of gold": The thing that is connecting the buildings is a bridge.
As for "Celebrating life": it's one of my favorites too

[Bold Standard]

Actually, I did notice the ice, and I think it looks pretty good and adds something. I didn't notice a response as to how she got in there, though.. Is it intentional to have her enclosed that way? I notice she's the same girl who seems to be lost in the dark woods, in another picture, which also features her from behind.

[edit: Oh, wait a second, are you saying that the glass shelf in front of her with the vase holding the yellow tulips is supposed to be above her head?]

Edited by Bold Standard, 31 July 2006 - 08:13 AM.

[Ifat Glassman]

You're funny. No, the shelve holding the yellow tulips is lower than her. The horizontal line that is below her waists is a shelve that is above her head, and placed closer to the viewer than she is. It might seem like the two shelves are connected because the lines cross in the bottom left corner, but they are not connected. She was able to get in because it is above her head, and doesn't block the way back. You are looking at the woman from an angle of about 45 deg above her head, slightly above the shelve I am talking about, and that's why the shelve looks like it crosses her waist.
If you look at the highest shelve next to the wall (where the ice is) it is in the hight of her head. Well the shelve that crosses below her waists is higher than that shelve. And yes, it is intentional to have her enclosed that way. And yes, there is resemblance to the painting you were talking about: Woman in dark Garden.

[Bold Standard]

You're funny. No, the shelve holding the yellow tulips is lower than her. The horizontal line that is below her waists is a shelve that is above her head, and placed closer to the viewer than she is.

Ok, I think I get it now. That shelf is actually the highest shelf featured in the picture, then? (Part of the confusion might have been a result of my by-no-means-high-resolution monitor). Was this all from your imagination, or did you observe a room similar to this, and paint it?

[Ifat Glassman]

Yes, that shelve is the highest in the room. When I was painting this I did it from my imagination, the way I painted 99.9% of my other paintings. In some paintings certain details are difficult to paint, so I use models. In this painting, for example, I used my own hand as a model for the woman's hand (left one).
When I was young my mother had a flowers shop. Sometimes she used to take me to nurseries to buy flowers. The flower growers keep their flowers in refrigerator-rooms. I really liked visiting in those rooms: The air was cold and had the scent of freshly cut flowers and plants. And in the dark, next to the walls there was a marvelous variety of colors and shapes. For me it was magical. I used to stay there until my nose froze or my mother had to go.
Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Ifat Glassman]

Here is another painting I am very proud of:

It is almost completed except for several details...

[Myself]

This last painting is excellent. I have one criticism though - the man in the portrait looks too stiff. He also seems more cartoonish(?) than the woman who has very fluid looking movements and defined muscles. The arm he's holding up doesn't seem quite right and the other hand that is embracing the woman's back isn't actually touching her and doesn't seem to be supporting her enough for the position she's in.

[Ifat Glassman]

You're right, "Myself". The man is not finished yet. You're especially right about the arm. My problem with his arm is that I need a model that will suit the scene, and I couldn't find it. The man is wearing a shirt with sleeves that are suppose to flutter, with a special lightning, plus the appearance of the arm in that position from that angle is hard for me to conceive. I would have to create a good model for this, no other choice.
Painting men is a challenge for me. I know the woman body pretty well (personal experience) but I don't have that experience with the male figure.
A course in anatomy (for painters) should be excellent. Maybe this year...

[Ifat Glassman]

This one is part of my study of how to paint metal (and I really like her expression as well):

Here is a close-up on her face.

[DarkWaters]

I would love to hear your thoughts about my art.
...
Hope you enjoy, and please tell me what you think.

I think your art is really fascinating. My favorite is easily Demonic Circus. So what is the symbolism behind the unfortunate man in the supine position who surely will be devoured by the colorful green demon? I wish I had monsters like that to be my friends. I would bring one of them to the local dog park, let it trample all over the premises while we played a rambunctious session of fetch and then reward it with fifty pounds of demon chow.

I am intrigued by Kid's Flight. What is the interpretation of this work?

Lastly, I find Bitter Sweet Memories to be particularly striking.

I also like some of the pencil drawings too. Chained Dragon is kind of sad although the dragon probably does not have any rights so we should not cry too much for him. Witch and a Monster also rules although please forgive me for my inability to decipher the witches' expression. Is she flailing her arms to signify an emergency because there is a monster in her mushroom house? Is she greeting the viewers of the painting? Is she splaying her arms as if to say "ta-da" as she presents her mushroom house that happens to be bursting at the seams with an infiltrating monstrosity?

Again, I found your art to be very enjoyable to peruse.

Edited by DarkWaters, 20 August 2006 - 09:49 PM.

[Ifat Glassman]

I think your art is really fascinating. My favorite is easily Demonic Circus. So what is the symbolism behind the unfortunate man in the supine position who surely will be devoured by the colorful green demon? I wish I had monsters like that to be my friends. I would bring one of them to the local dog park, let it trample all over the premises while we played a rambunctious session of fetch and then reward it with fifty pounds of demon chow.

The man in the supine position will not get devoured. No one gets devoured there, sorry to disappoint you . You really picked up the playful side of the painting (and other paintings, as well). It is exactly the purpose of the painting - to make that separation between the people who think the green monsters are cute, and those who find them completely disgusting and horrible.
If I myself would sit in the audience, I would be afraid, but not mindlessly: I would examine the beasts and not run away immediately. And once seeing that they do not harm anyone, I would be willing to pet them later on, and even take them to the park .

I am intrigued by Kid's Flight. What is the interpretation of this work?

The interpretation is "wild fun".
I tried to consider what is the speed required for the kid to "fly" like that. Can't get an answer though. I should consult an expert in Aerodynamics about this...
The man holding the little chap's legs is his brother. They are sitting in the back of a truck that is going in a constant high speed in an open road in the desert, and the big brother decided to give his kid brother a bit of fun. Of course the big brother knows what he's doing and will not let any harm come to his brother.
This painting is actually not finished. It'll take a while before I finish some of the paintings that I stopped working on 4 years ago.

Lastly, I find Bitter Sweet Memories to be particularly striking.

Thank you. Me too. I'm currently working on a new painting, but finishing this one is the next thing I'll do. I can't wait.

I also like some of the pencil drawings too. Chained Dragon is kind of sad although the dragon probably does not have any rights so we should not cry too much for him.

Notice something interesting about it though: the only thing holding the Dragon are the chains, which are connected to the slender stick, that is held by the girl. Physically, not much of a hold-back for the Dragon. So there is a lot of humour about this drawing, which I am glad you enjoy.

Witch and a Monster also rules although please forgive me for my inability to decipher the witches' expression. Is she flailing her arms to signify an emergency because there is a monster in her mushroom house? Is she greeting the viewers of the painting? Is she splaying her arms as if to say "ta-da" as she presents her mushroom house that happens to be bursting at the seams with an infiltrating monstrosity?

The witch is definitely flailing her arms to signify an emergency.

Don't know if you noticed it, but as someone who knows all my works I can tell you that there is a line behind (almost) all the paintings you've mentioned, that is unique just to those paintings/drawings: They are more about "fun and humour", and involve imagination and are less "real-life" situations. I believe this line is also represented by Lady on rope, and Taimoon. All of those paintings/drawings are from the same time in my life, and represent that feeling I had back then, of wandering freely in the world with no pressure or urgent places to be in, just enjoying the sunshine and happy things that I could see around me.

Edited by ifatart, 22 August 2006 - 02:00 PM.

[Ifat Glassman]

I've added a new section to my site, for new paintings.
It contains 1 new painting thus far entitled "Girl and a kitten", in the first stages of creation.

Enjoy!
 girlandkitten1.jpg   42.84K   87 downloads

[Bold Standard]

Wow, this one is looking really good! Is there a symbolic significance to the number 23?

[Ifat Glassman]

Wow, this one is looking really good! Is there a symbolic significance to the number 23?

Thanks
The significance of the number "23" is that it was the number on the shirt of the model in the picture I was using as a model for this painting .
But now that I think of it, 23 is also the amount of years in my life that I wasn't so darn busy studying, and had more time to paint .

[Bold Standard]

 girlandkitten1.jpg   42.84K   87 downloads


Ha--I saw this the other day, and it reminds me of your picture! The kitten is very similar, plus it says "camouflage," and your girl is wearing a camouflage shirt. I like cats, btw. Yours is very cute. One thing I notice when I look at your picture is that her right hand looks small. Is that because it's not finished yet? The color on her legs looks really good.

Edited by Bold Standard, 03 October 2006 - 01:06 PM.

[Ifat Glassman]

One thing I notice when I look at your picture is that her right hand looks small. Is that because it's not finished yet? The color on her legs looks really good.

The kitten in your picture is so cute! And so fluffy!

The right hand is definitely smaller than the left. It is still in the same shape since the first draft, which was smaller. Which reminds me something about how I created this painting:

At first I tried to take a different approach with this painting than my usual approach:
First I measured and scaled the original picture using a pencil and my eyes. Then I took the total size of the girl (or young woman) as I wanted it to be, and divided that block into smaller units, according to some converting method between the small blocks on the original picture and the drawing area. Then I started drawing the external-lines according to how they appear in the blocks in the original picture. This was the first time I was using this method, so about half way through I noticed that her shoulder is half a block lower than the right shoe. I realized I must have made an error in dividing the blocks, but the darn thing took over an hour to do and I did not have a strong desire to go through the boring process again. So I erased the whole blocks and just continued drawing using my eyes (fsheew! what a relief!). And it turned out fine.

Edited by ifatart, 04 October 2006 - 08:12 AM.

[intellectualammo]

I would love to hear your thoughts about my art.

Hope you enjoy, and please tell me what you think.

This particular painting is my favorite of yours. More: the scene actually had inspired me to write either a story or a collection of poems that had everything to do with what is taking place in that painting. Now seeing how my writing spans many pages, napkins, post-its, paper towels, envelops...it's still literally scattered and literarily scattered, but I was wondering if I could run some thoughts by you on it, seeing how a huge part of it was inspired by one of your paintings. I think it would be rather nice to show you directly what your art can do to a viewer and maybe learn a little more myself on why you painted that scene and see about getting other scenes painted...

PM me if you are interested.

Edited by intellectualammo, 24 November 2006 - 03:33 AM.