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MissLemon

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Everything posted by MissLemon

  1. This is the same issue as the key painting you posted in my thread. Part of an artists job is to not just paint exactly what they see. I don't doubt that the angle presented is exactly what you saw. However, if the resulting image looks like a deformed hand, like this one or melting keys as before...the artist needs to adjust for that. I can't say I can always do this (yet) but it is a concept that is visually verifiable when creating your composition.
  2. I've seen her latest painting. Don't hold your breath waiting for me to paint something like that because, although I do think the breasts are quite nice, the rest is well...very distorted, once again, she has very little since of proportion, the left arm is, to use ifats term, ugly. Even the water falls in an unnatural way. If you like it, well bless your spirit, another of ifats phrases of quality criticism.
  3. How is it not personal to call me a pretender? I am saying that ifat and everyone else at this forum may call what I posted art, art projects, art experiments or drills or any number of things for reasons I have no clue of. Personally, I call all attempts at art, pieces of art, good or bad or some mixture thereof. You guys can call it what you will. As to the quality of her criticism...I think her first post was all she really needed to say to convey her thoughts on my pieces of art. The rest has been emotional pleading toward the other posters to bash me as much as she has. And she calls me an emotionalist, I guess that wasn't personal either...
  4. But I am a beginning artist who strives at making actual art with a good standard. Your inability to realize that, no matter how many times I state it, frankly makes me think you need to get some serious therapy or learn to read. While the other people who have replied may or may not like my past efforts, they have at least given advice and criticism in a civil manner, which is what I expected on an Objectivist forum. Only you feel the need to continue to attack me personally. Also, please explain how one could experiment with a style without somehow having and idea of the style they are experimenting with, such as bold, realistic or whatever and why does one doing that anger you so? Because I have not found a definite style or direction and have allowed my emotions to effect my art in the past you call me a pretender and an emotionalist. Would a pretender bother to post art on an Objectivist board for opinion? Four months ago I read Atlas Shrugged and since then I have felt a desire to explore art again for the first time in years. This time I would like to approach it with reason and purpose. I haven't found those yet, but I am trying. I don't believe you when you say your problem with me is that I referred to these pieces as art. If I had said, What do you think of my art experiments, you would have been just as hostile. You have a fixation on the word art that borders on and in my opinion crashes into the depths of irrationality. I think you have answered my initial question quite fully. There is nothing you can teach me, except how NOT to react to aspiring artists asking for opinions.
  5. Unlikely...I don't respond well to tyrants. And about the keys...I agree there are times that drawing or painting what you actually see results in an unreal effect. If the luminence produces a perceived distortion, and I am not sure that's what's going on there but I will take your word for it, the artist should adjust the piece, in my opinion.
  6. As my sketch was a 10 minute study and I am willing to bet it took you a little longer to produce this drawing, it's hardly a fair comparison but since you asked...I'll comment on what I see as objectively as I am able to. The female dancer's left arm looks too long to me, and the shading on that upper arm is very odd. Something's wrong with the male's leading leg...I think it's too short, maybe a more experienced artist could tell you exactly what the problem is there, and his face is well, ugly and pinched looking to me. The best part is her right leg with is beautifully drawn and shaded in my opinion. Again, you have problems with proportion and positioning.
  7. Thanks for the link to those tutorials, Jonathan13. They will be very useful. As soon as I looked at those elevation plans I realized that I HAVE had a little formal training...but I didn't think of it as art training. So in the interest of full disclosure... I took two classes in manual drafting and autocad in the mid 90's. The main thing I remember learning is that I did not want to be a draftsman. Some of the techniques are coming back to me now as I look over the tutorials and draw more often. Hmm, maybe those classes weren't a waste of time after all...
  8. For the record...I have never produced anything approaching an ideal piece of artwork and have not sugggested so anywhere. I have repeatedly stated that all the works I posted here except the first one, were attempts at improving my skills and finding a direction. As for the stickman comment, I have looked at your art and suggest that instead of discouraging others interested in improving their own art, you should spend more time studying body proportions as my eyes tell me that my beginner's sketch is much more realistic than your elongated figures with their stiff positions. I do doubt that anyone who knows you would expect you to sit quietly let alone be tolerant of others, or even be nice. Oh, to clarify, the edges and bottoms of the keys in the painting you posted are what appear to me, and perhaps at least one other human, to be melting as does the doorknob base. Now, I am off to pretend to draw and paint because improving my art is something I value.
  9. Very intetesting, thanks. And, I will check out that website. I know I have a lot to learn and I am remembering some things, as I draw, that I had once learned but had forgotten over the years. I had no idea that studying Ayn Rand's philosophy would inspire me in so many areas of my life, even art!
  10. I'm just guessing here, but perhaps it has something to do with your seemingly omniscient ablilty to assume what *every person with a pair of eyes can clearly see.*
  11. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and opinions. Architype2005, you were particularly helpful with your ideas about Objectivist art, suggestions about the portrayal of ideals and the potential pitfalls in creating Rand inspired art. I plan to continue to draw and paint and of course, study Rand's ideas. I think, the more I learn about Objectivism the more focused my art (and life) will become. Again, thanks to everyone who commented, including Ifat...someone told me recently that even negative emotions are better than indifference. MissLemon
  12. Thank your for your advice. I will look into those websites you suggest. I know I have plenty to learn but I think thats part of the fun of art, the more one learns the better one gets. I am just coming back to art after a long period with no inspiration but what might have cheered up my mom as her heath declined, hence the somewhat silly florals. I'm not generally concerned about other peoples opinions but I did want some critique from this forum as I am studying Ayn Rands ideas and wondered if I could somehow combine my art with what I am learning. In retrospect, I should have read The Romantic Manifesto at least before posting anthing, I guess. Although, I thought I saw several posts of raw sketches here at this forum as well as incomplete works. I had two inspirations for the figure sketch. One was I saw someone tilting their head like the figure in the sketch and it caught my eye and I wanted to recreate that. As I drew, I thought of a character in a book I am reading who was bringing a coverlet forward to a sleeping friend, but it is just a sketch and it's in no way complete. It was just a ten minute project, but I have been drawing a lot of figures lately and that's the direction I am heading. Anyway, thanks for the input.
  13. To tell the truth, I would have believed you had you stopped with post 13 but since you are continuing when you have made your opinion very clear leads me to think decency is hardly your intent. Perhaps, I was unclear in my original post but I did ask for comments on all of the pieces. I was trying to convey that the first two pieces represent my past and the sketch is the direction I would like to go. I did not know that any art work posted here had to be professional level finished pieces full of philosophical meaning. That is the kind of work I aspire to. One could broadly say that ALL painting is comprised of smearing paint to some degree or another. And as for meaning, the point of each piece I posted was my own improvement. I thought that asking for critique from what I assumed would be reasonable people seemed like a good idea and indeed I have learned much from the others. However, you did teach me one thing, that aspiring artists need not expect respectful treatment from you, Ifat.
  14. I painted the second one, just to see if I COULD paint something that looked somewhat real. I didn't plan on staying with that style, it was just an experiment. I can usually draw things that look real so I wanted to see what it would be like painting that way. The sketch of the woman is more in line with where I want to go with my art. I am working on perspective, what I can remember of it and I am sure there are plenty of online resources about drawing techniques. I have never painted a human figure before so I am doing a lot of drawing first in preparation of this next experiment - a realistic painting of a human. I do it because it's fun!
  15. I think Maria Schaefers painting above looks like it is melting. That's what I see. Her other work, may be great though.
  16. About the composition: What's missing in the fragment is the top would show a little border where the red table ends, the cap would show on the bottom blue tube and the side with the yellow tube would extend further. I deliberately left out the labels, thought that would clutter things up. I'm glad you liked the contrasts and vivid color, I wanted boldness.
  17. You're not hurting my feelings. I asked for opinions.
  18. Hi all, I'm new to the study of Objectivism. I've read "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Virtue of Selfishness" and have just begun "The Fountainhead" and OPAR. I've always enjoyed drawing and painting but have never settled on a style or even a medium. I don't consider myself a professional artist and have no formal training, just a passion for producing art. Here at this forum, I have seen some very interesting artwork and some debates on what qualifies as art by Objectivist standards, which I am not too clear on but want to learn more about. I haven't read "The Romantic Manifesto" but it's on my list! Oh, and I know nothing about those cool computer generated art programs...I'm strictly old school. I've worked with watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, pen and ink and pencils of all kinds. Anyway...I'm interested in comments and suggestions. This first one is a very typical example of the kind of art I created for my mom. She loved these florals. I also sold quite a few of these pieces which were miniatures, the size of a playing card. The only thing I was going for with this one was the contrast of the bright pastel flowers and the very dark black and red floral curtain in the background. My mom passed away last year and I doubt I will return to this style, but it represents my past. Here is something newer, and I'm sorry for the blurry picture, I may enjoy painting but I cannot take a photograph well and so this is a fragment of a larger painting that was too big to scan. I was going for realism. Finally, here is a current sketch, perhaps for a future painting. I haven't decided on the background yet. Okay, so...comments please...
  19. Your comments make a lot of sense to me. I like your idea of getting involved with organizing one next time. I know at least one other Ayn Rand fan in my area, perhaps we can put our heads together and come up with a plan for the next round of Tea Parties. I'm also glad to hear that the Boston Tea Party has some Objectivist voices present! Can't wait to see the videos if they are made available.
  20. I was planning to go to our local Independence Day tea party because I was very encouraged by the turnout at the tax day tea party in my town and I even met a fan of Ayn Rand there. Probably, that because I was wearing a sign that read "Who is John Galt?" and had recently read Atlas Shrugged and thought the tea parties might attract a few Objectivists and wanted to meet some. I am just beginning my study of Objectivism but agree with everything I have read so far and am working to integrate the concepts I've learned in "Atlas Shrugged" and the "The Virtue of Selfishness" into my own life. I've been an atheist since age 10 or so and have always thought capitalism was the best economic system so I didn't have alot to disagree with. Mainly, I haven't used enough reason in my decisions and have a lot of damage repair to do to bring my thinking and actions into line. Anyway, when I went to the local Independence Day Tea Party website and found that the slogan for their "Bill of Rights Tea Party" was: "Clinging to Religion and Guns since 1776" I was so repulsed, I decided not to go. One of the three sponsors of the event is a local church. The event is being held at a gun range which I think is great but I could not stomach that slogan. I even emailed the organizer that I thought they were missing out on a large amount of potential attendees because this slogan implies a mixing of religion and politics that will discourage many, he promptly responded that if they are mixing religion and politics, it's only because the founding fathers did too! So, I had planned to hand out some ARI or ARC flyers to help spread the word. But now I just feel sad and I am afraid that the many Objectivists that I have read or watched online recently are correct about the future and that Obama's massive push toward the socialist left may result in a radical swing to the right and we may end up with a fanatical religious zealot in the White House next. Are the Tea Parties helping to spread religion? How do you guys stay positive in this political climate? Do you think I over-reacted?
  21. Don't let the flame war turn you against Tango, aequalsa. I would hope that if you look around your city you will find a place to study Tango that approaches the dance with civility and sweetness like I have found.
  22. Megr.ferg: I can relate to much of what you have said. I am new here and this is my first reply except my introduction, so "Hello" to the forum. When I read "Altas Shrugged" a few months ago, and became aware of the philosophy of Ayn Rand, the first thing I wanted to do is see if there were some things I could do to improve my own life. More social interaction and physical fitness came to mind as personal goals to start with. I recently began studying Argentine Tango, coincidentally, at EstheticIdea's above mentioned "Tango Tearoom" and although I have not learned all the basics yet, I have found much to value in the learning process. One of the reasons I was attracted to this dance is the social interaction it presents. Another was the delightful tango music which inspires joyful movement. Commitment to a weekly social dance class has helped me to interact in a positive way with others, something I'd been overlooking since I tend to be a bit of a loner. Some benefits I have experienced so far include better balance, coordination and concentration. From a beginners perspective, I highly recommend social dancing and particularly Argentine Tango!
  23. Thanks, sNerd. I'll dig up some photos and post them soon. See you around the forum! MissLemon
  24. Thanks for the warm welcome! Kelly, I love the artwork at The Cordair Gallery and will save that link! Jill, I will try to post some artwork here if it's allowed. Should I post it in the Productivity thread? I've mainly produced landscapes, still lifes and florals in the past as those were my mom's favorites and she was my biggest fan. She passed away last year and I have been reassessing everything including a new direction for my art since then. When I was younger, I painted human figures and strangely enough, spaceships! After seeing the great stuff at Cordair I may go back to my original inspiration! Bye for now, MissLemon
  25. Hi all, I recently read Atlas Shrugged and am very interested in learning more about Objectivism and meeting others who are interested as well. I am currently reading The Virtue of Selfishness and Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. I also have a copy of The Fountainhead but have not read it yet. I had heard of Ayn Rand, as a writer but had never heard of Objectivism until a few months ago. Everything I have read about Objectivism so far, sounds right on the mark and I am working to apply its principles in my own life and to the best of my ability. I'm in my forties and live in north central Florida. I enjoy drawing and painting and am hoping to integrate Objectivist principles into my artwork somehow. I stubbled across this forum a couple of months ago and have enjoyed reading the posts so much I decided to finally register and join the fun! Hi everyone... Miss Lemon
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