This Means War

Hi!! I just saw that this was in our "Please Critique" folder at #By-Invitation-Only; I'm sorry to have missed it before. I hope you don't mind if I share my opinions; I hate it when I ask for feedback and no one responds.

First, I really like the concept you have here. It is humorous, but it's also ironic and delightfully disturbing! <img src="e.deviantart.net/emoticons/x/x…" width="15" height="15" alt="" title="XD"/> Composition-wise, I love the fact that there is some triangulation going on between the man's face and the rats, bounded by his arms. It draws my eye down to the two rats and especially the one on our right, with the bomb. I think that bomb is what (for me) brings out the irony in the piece, and so it is appropriate as the focal point (even though the eye wanders for a moment before finding it). The piece also seems to follow, at least loosely, the "rule" of thirds. So, in my opinion your composition is brilliant.

I am kind-of wondering, though, where the main light source is coming from. The shadows are a bit inconsistent; I feel like the light on his arms is strong enough that the shadows would be a bit more pronounced and perhaps back a bit further. I think that a couple of slight adjustments in the lighting could make the piece stronger by making it more seamless. Right now, I feel like the rat on our left (with the bicycle) doesn't quite "fit." And, there is no shadow coming from the bicycle. Basically, the man's arm suggests that the light is coming from his right (our left), so that would make that side of the rat lighter and the shadow opposite where it is now, right? It's a subtle adjustment but I think that's what is incongruous to me.

What I love most about your pieces is your storytelling and your creative use of images that really get that story across in lovely detail. I absolutely love every piece I have seen from you because there is always a deeper hidden "meaning" or "story" to it if one just looks closely enough. Even down to the last detail (like the bike trail) you make a scene that tells an interesting story. I really want to congratulate you on that! <img src="e.deviantart.net/emoticons/h/h…" width="15" height="13" alt="" title="Heart"/>