The Artist Delivered
The woman who did the water color portrait of my house stopped by yesterday and delivered the final product. As you may recall I was given a gift certificate for a 5X7 pen & ink water colored portrait of my house for Christmas.
First The Artist came by and took some photos of the outside and then we met and picked out the best shot for the rendering. At the time I asked here to add a picket fence to the front and later I was going to call her and ask her to add the two cats to the front walk instead of the fence. A few days passed though, and I didn’t want to call after she had already started working on it.
I am generally pleased with it, but there is one thing that bothers me. The Artist seems to have gotten the angle wrong at the bottom of the square bump-out on the right side of the house. Every time I look at it my eye is drawn to it. It looks like it’s going in at the bottom and out at the top.
She called yesterday and said she was sick and going out of town on Thursday and wanted to swing by to drop it off. She didn’t sound good on the phone and she was at my place for all of about 3 seconds to drop it off. I’m not sure if I should say something. It was a gift, so it’s not like I paid her for it. Is it noticeable to you? Do you think I should say something?
17 comments:
I don't know how she would fix it, but it would bug me terribly too.
I see what you mean - kind of MC Escher-ish. I probably wouldn't have noticed it for a while if you hadn't mentioned it, though. And as you say, it was a gift. Tricky.
get a little paint and paint the kitty cats right in front of it!
It looks like an optical illusion. I'm writing this without being able to look at the pic but if you notice, on the bottom of the house, just past the front corner on the right, there is no change in angle where it travels back toward the bump-out. It is then picked up in the angle that would be the bump-out. It's still nice and because it was a gift I wouldn't say anything. That's just me though.
I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to save enough money to hire John of the Devil Queen to paint a portrait of my house...
Ask her to add the cats, because you want them there and because you should have them. The piece is quirky and sweet--charming.
I like it as is...very "folk arty'!
The angle is off, but the whole painting has a kind of primative look that is very appealing. I think I would just embrace it as the style of the artist. Such a neat gift.
Besides the stuff you noticed the picket fence needs to be about twice as tall to look right. And the round window thing in the front looks goofy. Hated the drawing at first but after a couple revisits now it don't look too bad - it's almost there. But it does need the rework 'cause it just looks plain bad now (probably need to do over). And the addition of cats. Tell the lady to fix it - should be in her interest as someone who sells these. PS Your 'blog is super great - you've got a talent for writing. Look forward to reading it daily. Astoria, Oregon (where we live in a 100 year old house - I do all the work on it myself) seems similar to Eureka. Ships 'n stuff, rain.
As someone who went through yeeears of art school (and is in my personal style retardedly perfectionist) there are things like unusual angles and such that struck me as odd. (I'm sure John'll notice 'em too).
But I think that's part of the whole charm of the painting. It's not an architectural rendering (THAT would be perfect) it slips perfectly into the "folk art" or "naive art" style. It's part of the character of the painting, and the painting reflects the character of the house.
I like it. It's character!
"just past the front corner on the right, there is no change in angle where it travels back toward the bump-out. It is then picked up in the angle that would be the bump-out."
That is exactly were it goes wrong.all points should be able to be drawn back to one perspective spot that is off the paper. Either way its still a very neat gift and keepsake
I don't think that I'd say anything if I were you. Since this is a pen & ink (usually they use waterproof India Ink)and watercolors, there isn't anyway to fix it at this point. She'd have to completely redo the whole thing.
As it is, I didn't notice it until you mentioned it (I was actually scrutinizing something else I found troubling). Since it is small, most casual viewers will probably miss it.
Overall it isn't a bad job and it looks like the Petch House, so frame & hang it.
Patricia, I'm a reasonable man. Make me an offer I can't refuse.)
I noticed it and the fence. The perspective is off.
I'd ask to have the cats added. Add to more of that folk art charm I guess and maybe distract the eye.
Since it was a gift. I guess you really can't ask for a 'do over'. If I had paid, I would ask for it to be fixed. It is soooo odd even the roof line doesn't show the bump out.
Show it to the people who gave you the gift, but don't say anything about the oddities.
Folk art! That was my first reaction to it, too. It may not be your style, but you don't have to put it on the wall. It could be a nice addition to a coffee table photo album, too.
It's a neat gift. Since you didn't hire her yourself and the job is already paid for, I think you should embrace the imperfection. Just don't recommend the artist to anyone else.
Per Angus' comment, "there are things like unusual angles and such that struck me as odd. (I'm sure John'll notice 'em too)."
Yeah, you're right. What really jumped out at me (the anonymous poster mentioned it too) was the angle of the "eye" in the front window is off. It leans to the right, but it shouldn't.
I actually think it's pretty charming. Yes, I see some crazy-funhouse-angles, but at the same time, it's a handmade piece of art so I call it character. Um, then again, maybe my standards are just too low after living in a house where some of the angles actually DO look like that?? LOL
You have reminded me, though, that our PO dropped off a pencil drawing of our house in December--done in the 60s I believe. Wonder where Mr. King Street put that?? I'd like to post it in our blog.
At any rate, in answer to your question, since it was a gift, I wouldn't say anything.
i'd say that's just one of the lovely and charming quirks of folk art. if it were meant to be a highly accurate photo-realistic style, i'd say to comment. As it is though, i find it a sweet and touching piece of home-spun art.
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