pixeljoint weekly challenge

[sharprm]

I think the old one looks better. Maybe just make his right arm a bit bigger (its too small i think). On his jacket, what is that blue thing? Could you make it more readible or remove it? I think the belly button is too big.

[Helm]

Also, the Dali painting is of Frida Kahlo, so "SHE's got a big green splotch on HER face", Rydin. 

What? That's Dali himself.

[infinity+1]

doesn't look like either to me.
edit: retarded
<-- doesn't know anything about dali.
did the homework. yeah, it's a self portrait, or more specifically "Self-Portrait with Raphaelesque Neck."

[ndchristie]

the blue is supposed to be the big blue sticker that my grocer puts on every organically grown meat/vegetables

it makes less sense out of context i suppose; that and the price tag hanging off his rubber-bandana

Dali was such a pretentious self-absorbed fucker and that portrait is in no way similar to Raphael's work.  Raphael's necks, though elongated (it's a matter of idealization imo), are never more than about half a head and the shin is always upturned to make it work.  Dali just made himself an ostrich and proclaimed it masterful.  [/rant]

[Helm]

Dali was such a pretentious self-absorbed fucker [/rant]

Before you judge Dali as if he's your cousin, you should invest some time in learning about Surrealism (as an art movement in a specific point in history) and realising that every surrealist essentially had their own surrealistic experiment going on, and Dali's isn't in his art, it is in how he handled himself and his position as 'artist'. When it comes to his sayings and publicity stunts, read between the lines. [/rant]

[ndchristie]

it wasn't clear from my post at all, but:

i've studied the movement(s) (it fascinates me), his public self, and personal self (through his writings and those of his friends).  I'm no expert, and i certainly did not know him, but don't think i'm judging based on a single digital reproduction of his work. 

Not that you're going to present this argument, but in case someone does, it seems every time i talk about dali's self-absorption, someone says "that's not true, he hated himself!"  and "that's not true, his artwork doesn't necessarily represent his own personality!" This is something that has never made sense to me, as being self absorbed is not the same as liking oneself, it's about being constantly obsessed with oneself and how one is seen.  if anything, both of those traits are prime examples of the self-absorbed.  As far as pretentious, i think he, like most of his colleagues, would embrace the fact.

really helm, that you might not share an opinion does not mean it is unfounded.

[Helm]

I'm sorry but well-founded opinions of artists of such tremendous impact as Dali do not usually boil down to "Dali was such a pretentious self-absorbed fucker". If you've studied more on the subject as you say, you didn't show it in your first post on him, and that's why I said what I said.

[ndchristie]

meh, any opinion that can't be expressed in a single statement can't be expressed in anything less than a lengthy essay, and since this isn't a thread critiquing dali, it hardly seemed like the place to write one.  while of course it's more complicated than that original statement, that's still the general idea of what would take volumes to properly say.

i suppose you can consider the first statement my "commitment in relativity."

[Derek]

What artist isn't pretentious and self-absorbed and self-obsessed?

[ptoing]

I would say as long as you do not pretend that your ideas are more than they actually are you would not classify as pretentious.

I would say pretty much everyone who thinks a bit for himself can develop a view of the world which differs quite a bit from that of others.
And if that leads to ideas which you then manifest into paintings which some way or another represent how you see the world this is not at all pretentious, as long as you do not try to tell others there is an extra profound depth to them which is not there. Easy as that. If you are honest with yourself and your art you are NOT pretentious.

I would also say there are quite a few artists which were not self-obsessed, like Klee or Moser for example from what I read about them.
All depends tho on how you interpret the term "self-obsessed". Is painting a self portrait already self-obsession or can it also be just a way of reflecting upon yourself.

Self absorbed is something totally different again and not necessarily something negative. It's just that some people would rather be alone alot or need lots of space for themselves. My 2 eurocents.