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I can dish it but can I take it?
Initially upon discovering this forum, I was much more forthcoming with critiques than I am now. I have been a teacher for 30 years and I am very sensitive to the responses my critiques evoke as I "read" my students reactions and try to separate the criticism of the work from the criticism of the person. This interplay is obviously impossible in this venue.
The main reason, however, I don't get too involved in critiques, is that I view the problems people are having as a result of a gross misunderstanding of what I consider to be the keystones of good realistic painting. For example, to offer criticism as to the position of an eye or mouth (applying a Band-Aid to a wound) is pointless when someone misinterprets the structure of a head (a bullet through the heart). These problems cannot be addressed in the format of a forum.
It's my observation that not understanding structure and the principles of modeling form are the two biggest problems I see both here and everywhere. This is what separates modern artists from old masters. These are the main issues I address when I teach my classes and workshops.
Since we are discussing the sanctity of criticism here, I will be totally honest and say the vast majority of work I see presented here, on the forum, is lacking in those two areas. I know I'm going to get buried for saying this but I'm a big boy and I'll take my licks. This is my opinion and doesn't mean I think anyone is a bad person or their mother wears combat boots.
Earlier this year Renee Price and Denise Hall contacted me about coming down to Greensboro NC and doing a workshop this spring. I basically stated what I mentioned above regarding my views on structure and modeling as related to the work on the forum and their work as well. So I set up a workshop to address these issues as well as color mixing (another big problematic area for those who can
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