Someone told me my digital paintings looked 'too smooth' and it bugged me for a week

A guy in a local artist group in Portland looked at my latest piece and said it looked like I just used the soft brush the whole time. At first I was annoyed. But then I realized he was right. I was avoiding hard edges and texture because it felt risky. Next piece I used a chalk brush and left some rough strokes in. Looked way better. Has anyone else had a critique that totally changed your workflow?

3 comments

3 Comments

fisher.thomas6d ago

Why let some random guy's opinion mess with a style that clearly works for you?

morgan.jason5d ago

Three years ago an old pro at my local art supply store told me my brushstrokes were too tight and controlled. I was annoyed at first but I went home and started slapping paint on like I was angry at the canvas. Honestly it loosened up my whole style and people started complimenting my work more. Sometimes the harsh stuff from a stranger is the push you didn't know you needed.

emma_wells836d ago

Oh man, yes! I had basically the same thing happen. Some guy at an art show told me my landscapes looked "flat" and it stung so bad. I was so defensive at first. But then I looked at my work and realized I was scared of using darker shadows and lighter highlights. I started pushing the contrast way harder and everything popped. That one comment fixed my paintings more than any tutorial ever did.