Untitled

My first impression is that this is a quite beautiful painting. I like the subdued expression on the main character's face and the rendering in general. On one level, the image should be disturbing and grotesque with the Lovecratian tentacles and the depiction of decapitation, but it really isn't. There is an almost whimsical quality that is achieved from the use of color and shapes. The way the ambiguous background lines mirror the profile of her face and curvature of the tentacles gives this painting a great compositional cohesion (except for one element that I'll mention latter). The limited color pallet and the effective transition between warm and cool colors is my favorite part of the painting. The use of profile and the general centrality of the image create an icon quality to the piece which I like.

The only element I'm unsure about is the cloud-like shapes at the top of the painting. The reddish outlines up against the whiteness of the clouds create an overall shape at the top of the painting that is a little distracting. Despite the cloud's wavy lines, the overall shape basically dissects the top of the painting which causes an incongruity in the composition. Perhaps a little more red or purple would soften the edge to smooth out the transition. Again, it is only mildly distracting and ultimately the focus is going to be on the central figure anyways.

I like the drip marks; it is a technique that I generally have mixed feeling about, but it works really well here.

Good Job.