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Posted on 22/03/13 11:29:28 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7052 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
First to dine this week was Vibeke, with a great new room setting and the ghostly figure of our man from the portrait appearing, translucently, at the table. I like the artfully lit candles and the filled wine glasses - and that's a very fine cutout job on the table! Really good work. A fine set of characters populate Frank's dining room, all in period costume. I especially like the way you've moved the man's eyes to the right. The woman in black appears pressed right up against the table, though - perhaps bring her close to the camera? Very neat work from Josephine Harvatt, adapting Joseph Wright of Derby's famous painting Experiment on a bird in the air pump. The characters have been artfully regrouped and the air pump removed; the light source, which was previously hidden, is now that solitary lit candle... and the dining table has been warmed in tone to match the background saturation. Brilliant, Josephine! A touch of portrait-ripping from tooquilos, with a well stocked table (I like those steaming plates of food and the filled wine glasses) and a great new body for the man in the picture. Should the woman be facing the other way, though, so her body's angled towards us rather than away from us? A terrific animated version, with flickering flames and smoke; the expressions on the man's face as he breaks through the picture are splendid! Surprised you weren't tempted to add a bit of Handel as the soundtrack, though. A fine scene from GKB, with a whole new room setting and a new dinner guest. I like the soup bowls, the new chairs and the lit candles, and the good fitting of the people at the table. Things I'm not so sure about: the perspective of the background is at odds with the table (look at the angle of the wall in the original); the wine has a faintly Ribena quality to it; and the man's lighting is too much from one side, since he has candles on both sides of his face. I like the added Gainsborough dogs in the second entry - both on the floor and in the portrait. Gordon, I seem to recall in an earlier, deleted post you identified the sitter in the portrait - was that right? An interesting entry from Emy, who has attempted the difficult task of fitting the half-shaded face into a new body. It very nearly works, but the tilt to the side can't quite be made to fit the front-on head: choose a new head shot from a more appropriate angle? I do like the way the hand is integrated behind the glasses, though, and the dog's a nice touch. One thing you need to check: has the man's shoulder impaled itself on the candle? A fantastic scene from brewell, with a selection of diners drawn from a variety of portraits joining our host at the table. There's a real sense that they've all stopped their conversation for a moment posed for a photograph (or, rather, an oil painting). The footman in the background is a very good touch. Excellent work, Bruce! A couple of new, photographed bodies join our man in Garfield72's entry - from the look of it, the man standing at the end of the table suspects his wife is getting a little too intimate with the host. I like the lit candles here - perhaps a different background on the right would take the scene out of the museum? Plenty of animated conversation from James, with subtle movements from the guests. I'm not sure about the hands bringing in an empty wine bottle; it might have been better to miss this out, and keep the conversation going on an endless loop. Tricky candle flicker! A novel arrangement from Mariner, in which only the back wall and the host remain from the original image - the dining things now cleared away and replaced by an especially sinister Tarot reading. I like the shadows, the lit candle, and the layout here. The table edge nearest us, though, is distractingly bright - especially since it's facing away from the candle, so should be in deep shadow. A very clever combination from Darren, with Captains Cook and Picard comparing notes. They fit really well at the table, and I like the expert way in which the table has been replaced with a purple perspex equivalent - very 24th Century. The Enterprise model on the wall is a nice touch, too. Good work! A dramatic scene from joeysala, in which the host seems to have taken to his nightshirt (presumably in an unsubtle attempt to hint to his guests that they should stop playing chess and damn well go home). Be careful with your placement of the brandy glasses: those two in the foreground are rather at odds with each other, because they're both the same size. Make the nearer one a little higher, and it will match the strong perspective of the chess board much better. |
Posted on 22/03/13 2:43:54 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4033 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
Thanks Steve, Below is from the Ashmolean website:- The painting is by Thomas Gainsborough and is of an unknown man. The portrait dates from the mid-1750s when Gainsborough was living in Ipswich. It may represent a member of the Gibbs family, though this cannot be confirmed. The other portrait is of Henrietta Vernon Lady Grosvenor, also by Gainsborough. Both were teetotal and would only drink Ribena at dinner  _________________ If at first you don't succeed then skydiving is not for you. |
Posted on 22/03/13 2:54:24 PM |
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Emy
Composition Chef Posts: 390 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
Steve: ....One thing you need to check: has the man's shoulder impaled itself on the candle? .... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emy: OMG!!! wow Steve you really pay attention to e-v-e-r-y- single little detail!! I did not even see that one.. good catch!! .LOL!!! |
Posted on 23/03/13 3:01:42 PM |
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brewell
Pixel Pentagrammarian Posts: 752 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
Thank you, Steve. Candlelight is the best. The footman was the only way I could slide the back wall away from the table. _________________ Is it necessary? Does it work? |
Posted on 23/03/13 7:07:14 PM |
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josephine harvatt
Gag Gadgeteer Posts: 2603 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
Ithengyow ...  _________________ I'm not really bad - I just draw that way |
Posted on 24/03/13 10:41:46 AM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1770 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
Thanks Steve |
Posted on 24/03/13 2:20:29 PM |
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Sjef
Flying Dutchman Posts: 571 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
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Posted on 25/03/13 07:41:42 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7052 Reply |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
Oh, I'm so sorry, I completely missed out Sjef's magnificent entry! I remember noticing it earlier in the week, don't know how I skipped writing it up - I was so taken by the very camp footman and the transvestite wife! A really funny, detailed entry, Sjef. So sorry to have omitted it! |
Posted on 25/03/13 08:54:17 AM |
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Sjef
Flying Dutchman Posts: 571 Reply |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
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Posted on 25/03/13 11:09:38 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2905 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 445: Dinner by candlelight
Thank you Steve. I had some Baroque music that I wanted to use but it just didnt seem to fit well with the clip. _________________ Dorothy: "there's no place like home!" |
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