RoR: Forum

Me too!

when do we get to see the other scetches?

Post 2

Friday, March 17, 2006 - 11:10am

I have mixed reactions to it. It shows enormous skill and it's original, so I hope UBK will continue, and will show us more. But the eyes and the mouth have sort of a scowling or sunken-eyed or saturnine quality to them. You don't get the intensity of her eyes or personality, of someone vibrantly alive and focused. Not a great mind, just an ordinary woman who is either sad or in a down mood. Or just woke up and hasn't had her coffee yet (very different from the real Rand, who definitely seems a more caffeinated personality, especially when ideas are concerned.)

It's a somewhat unflattering portrait of her. At best, one could say it was capturing a thoughtful or pensive mood, but I do get that combined with a negativity or sourness or lack of joy. Very different from those of her smiling, or from the Ilona portrait. It's particularly the eyes that seem wrong: they are lifeless in this drawing. It doesn't really capture who she was at the core of her personality. Not just a painting, but even a drawing can be non-naturalistic, but idealistic and capture the heart of the person.

But it really captures a mood or personality of -someone-. This is a sketcher/artist with genuine ability, even though he's copying/interpreting a famous photo of Rand I've seen before somewhere, from one of the book covers.

Phil

[Uh-oh, I'm treading on Michael Newberry's turf...he's going to step in and slap me down for daring to have an extended opinion outside of my specialty].

Post 3

Friday, March 17, 2006 - 1:51pm

Phil wrote: "[Uh-oh, I'm treading on Michael Newberry's turf...he's going to step in and slap me down for daring to have an extended opinion outside of my specialty]."

hahahaha,

...but, I do have a suggestion for you Phil, you sound so certain exactly what a portrait of Rand should look like, why don't you draw one yourself--and let your criticism be your guide--it is sure to come exactly has you know it should be. ;)

Michael

BTW, I have complimented "UberKuh" in a PM.

(Edited by Newberry on 3/17, 1:53pm)

Post 4

Friday, March 17, 2006 - 11:40pm

I have a suggestion for you, NewBully: Don't ever walk out of a movie and comment on how bad (or good) the acting was unless you're able to act the role yourself properly. Don't comment on the special effects unless you are able to create special effects. Don't comment on how succesful a novelist is unless you have written a successful novel yourself. Be silent and voice no opinion on any of these subjects for the rest of your life.

Get the point, dude?

Post 5

Friday, March 17, 2006 - 11:50pm

I like it, too.

Ed

Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 8:09am

Phil,

I rarely voice an opinion about subjects I am not an expert in, such as politics, economics, foreign policy, wars, sciences. In either case I enjoy giving reasons for my evaluation(s). You sound like my mother who believes she has a "right" to an opinion--she and you confuse your opinion with fact.

Re-read your post Phil, and I know you need to take your time and go slow, then tell me if you back up your opinions in a reasoned manner.

From a different perspective, its interesting for me as a professional artist and lecturer, writer on aesthetics to witness your sloppy methodology here. And I have seen that you post on many other topics. And I wonder "if Phil knows little about art and art criticism and he insists on expressing didactic opinions why would I trust his opinions in areas I don't know about?"

Michael

Post 7

Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 11:34am

Michael, I don't have time to swat down all your oversights or mistakes. Again. On other posts where we have had *this same debate* I've pointed out in some detail where you're mistaken - did you miss that I exploded your bizarre "only an expert can give an opinion" fallacy elsewhere? Plus you didn't answer my concrete examples specifically, which would have focused the discussion.

I'll just say that we clearly disagree in the area of what constitutes an objective or thoughtful opinion and on what constitutes evidence or basis for having one as one engages with the wide world. And where one is entitled to have an opinion and how much support it requires. It's an epistemological issue in part. An area I am very interested in, but you don't seem the person I'd want to debate it with because I sense you "have an agenda", as the saying goes.

(Edited by Philip Coates
on 3/18, 11:45am)

Post 8

Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 9:53pm

Thank you, Mike and Ed.

Keith, I will post other drawings in time.

Philip, although I do not share your opinions of this drawing, I appreciate your forthrightness. I also do not consider it a perfect rendering, and this is perhaps due to the short amount of time I gave it.

I am very conscious and proud of my artistic talents. As I indicated to Newberry in a private message, before making this drawing, I had not drawn or painted much of anything since graduating from college in 1998. The important point, however, as I noted in my description above, is that Rand inspired me to resume the practice of making art. She brought me back to my senses, in more ways than one.

UK

Post 9

Monday, March 20, 2006 - 11:30am