Three Favourites - 12 Days of Christmas
1 2 D A Y S – F I N A L S E L E C T I O N
It’s time to reveal the feedback for three artists who participated in my ‘Jehane’s Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge 2022’. Each of the final three were among over one hundred and twenty artists who submitted art for all twelve of my prompts – a feat I am incredibly humbled by! Creating twelve artworks in twenty four days shows an amazing amount of dedication.
So, as promised, Ben Dorney of Museums & Galleries has kindly picked his three favourite artworks from my selection of twelve artists (shared in my previous post). I hope this provides invaluable to everyone who took part in my challenge this year. A huge thanks to Ben for taking the time to feedback in detail. You’re amazing!
C A S S A N D R A R I L E Y
Two Turtle Doves
“Cassandra’s Turtle Doves is great – a really lovely study with fine detail which still manages to feel quite light and with a distinctive, subtle palette.
It’s got depth and detail, the ribbon, two types of leaves and berries, stars and a floating branch, yet it all feels completely natural and the birds are still the focus.
If I was nitpicking I would query the darker leaves and white berries – maybe mistletoe would have been a more obvious choice? But it doesn’t detract from a first-rate pic – well done!”
Ben Dorney, Museums & Galleries.
S A M R U D D
Music at Midnight
“I love Sam's image. The palette is great and ties together red green and blue beautifully with white accents.
It’s diverse (although I suppose a couple of boys in the mix might make it more gender-netural) and has a great movement to it, never letting your eye rest.
It could be worth flipping the image so the top line walks right, then the bottom line reads left, which would give it a natural circular motion on the eye (as we naturally read left to right in the west). But it works brilliantly as it is anyway, and manages to cover a whole range of Christmas icons within one single, energetic and memorable image. Top notch.”
Ben Dorney, Museums & Galleries.
M I R A P A R A D I E S
Catch a Falling Star
“Mira’s image has a very distinctive style – feels like a combination of Mexican-inspired art and arcade graphics – and despite it’s relative simplicity manages a really good composition.
I love the suitcase detail and the camel, and how the Kings are almost touching the star – which could be close or just distant and huge. It’s really fun, and can work with the Merry Christmas text or – for publishers like us who tend not to use text – be cropped without.
I might be tempted to make the smaller stars a little less graphic and a little more glittery, but appreciate this is part of its charm. Having nailed a really strong Christmas composition, the unusual styling gives it a point of difference. The more I look at it, the more I like it!”
Ben Dorney, Museums & Galleries
Thanks so much to Ben for his carefully considered and thoughtful feedback - it’s fascinating!
Make sure you’re on the list to receive my 2023 Christmas prompts later this year.
And before you go - there’s more! Your interest in feedback has given me another idea for a special event coming soon. I can’t wait to share more details with you. I think you’re going to like it.
Jehane x