Overall

Vision Vision

Originality Originality

Technique Technique

Impact Impact

When reviewing I typically break it up into a few areas to better conceptualize and explain out my thought process. My goal is to refrain from personal bias and get to the core of the work rather than my personal perception. I’ll divide this into 3 areas beginning with the characters of the work.For the first area on characters - in this case Luna – I do have a few points of note. In relation to general construction I do like the sense of roughed construction you take for this piece. While most would view a more fine construction technique as preferable I do like how you utilize a sense of rough colorization and line work to better translate the point of the piece. The white areas (top of the muzzle, around front of mouth, top of mane by horn, earing, and front of ear) I personally like because it brings out a sense of highlighting and doesn’t just end the transition from one part of the character to the next. While I won’t mention it much in this first point, I see this as a continuation of the surrounding background area as it imposes itself upon Luna’s mane. By this what I’m getting at is it puts a sense of depth in between the character’s features to give the perception that there is something behind it and not just a continuation of the surface. A simple feature when compared to the image, but definitely adds to the concepts it attempts to emphasize.In addition I’d also like to call focus to the sense of emotion brought upon in the reflection of the character’s action and outlook. The usage of “numbness” in the ears, nose, and cheek was a good focal-point that complemented the viewer without tearing the gaze from the image as well. In addition the state of the stare gave off – at least in my view concept – not only a philosophical sense of the continuation of winter into the foreseeable distance, but a mental fortitude and emotion to bide and endure. This was added to with the snowflake reflections in the eye and frozen breath being exhaled into the icy tundra of the image. I really liked this feature; especially how it stood out from the background while also transferring into it as a part of the surrounding. Hence adding to the conception that Luna wasn’t just a separate thing from said image, but actually part of it and part of the winter for which she exists within. Good features to include and these do give tangible gain to the character and their personal tie to the reality created by the author.The second part – the background – I do have a few notes I’d like to reference as well. This is a simple background yes, but at no point do I find this simplicity detracting from the image. In actually – in relation to a personal state of mind – I find that this simplicity actually helps to form the complexity of the image and the character itself by not only giving this the sense of absolution, isolation, and winter, but also because it brings in the sense of yearning for some unknown sagacity of being both in the character as well as the viewer of this work. This is a good feature to see and one that definitely helps to give this image its impact. In addition I like how the background isn't only the shade of white, but rather utilizes Luna’s mane as part of the background itself. This is a good call and helps to break it up while not breaking it up. Confusing to comprehend at first maybe, but you’ve found a way to break up the monotony without it losing any of the image’s influence or power if you had added other elements. Adding in the blending of the two helped to tie these together and was the key touch to this; separating them and binding them together as one. The scattered flakes of snow only added to the creation of this factor. Beautiful, well-conceived, and complex in its simplicity; something I definitely agree with.Sometimes the simplest is the most impactful.The third area is to be the overall work itself. Not just the character or the background, but the whole of it all and how it relates to the viewer’s understanding. I've alluded to a few points already that cross over on one another so I’ll withhold myself from speaking on them for now. Other than these points there are 2 major topics that come to mind. The first is the description. When reviewing most individuals don’t see anything past the artwork itself. Granted this is the focus of the work and they may register the associations, but the image isn’t the only part of the art piece and this realization is one of the things that set my reviews out from others. I really like the title for this piece “Lunar Winter”. It comes across crafting the mentality that you are attempting to express within this image. I may not know whether the title or the image came first, but what I can say is that the title either in itself or in complement to the image crafts the sense of absolution, isolation, winter, and the unknown that I alluded to earlier in this review. I love this focus and this definitely earns you some points for tying in what you write to what you create.In addition to this I don’t just review the piece I also like to review the artist and their works as a whole as well. Everything that we create is a product that can be seen within what we craft for the future. Yours is no different in this endeavor and in reviewing your gallery I can definitely discern your style and take to your artwork. This is good to see and especially good to see your continued development and experimentation throughout your pieces. It is refreshing to see a positive sign for growth and continued desire to create rather than emulate. Above all I am glad to see that you take an active approach to involvement in the community and to those that do view your works. This is another factor that does separate artists and people from one another. It is great to create and contribute such works, but it is even better to be part of the social experience those works help create. Good on you for this and be sure to keep bringing it back into the works you create.I do have one note though I would like to make that did stand out to me. The blending of shades left of the eye near the rear of the eyelid can be individually seen. If part of the attempted style for this piece it isn’t an issue to look at, but this is just the only area that detracted from the image for me as it presented a slight “block-ness” to the texturing because I can discern the individual brush strokes. This was the only point of note I had and it isn’t a big one. Just something I wanted to mention.Overall I’ll leave it at this. Outside of my review I really do like this work. The sense of coloration, ambiance, and ambivalence of the art work serves as a powerful motivator for the piece and makes it what it is. Simple when compared to others yes, but as said before simplicity can bring about even more powerful viewpoints and perceptions in the audience. From the detail of the snowflake reflections in the eye and the cloak, to the chilled breath and emptiness of the void beyond, it is how the elements are used that defines the image and the author as what they are. I am definitely looking forward to seeing a higher resolution file and if you have one for a 1680 monitor length that would be outstanding.After all best princess deserves nothing less….~Review write-up time