I’ve always had trouble with the idea of “critique”. Back long ago when I used to write about art it was never very useful. I had strong opinions; everyone does. What worked better for me was to simply and honestly describe what I saw.
I knew people then and still do, who could not abide realistic work. Others who can’t stand abstract work. Concept artists hate the photo realists and they hate printmakers and they don’t like the Impressionists and nobody likes the way photographers machine gun walls full of pictures. etc.
Everyone thinks artists must be such darling free-thinking creatives and I’ve seen a lot of rigid, ambitious, elbows-out, competitive craftsmen. It’s why I’ve really enjoyed the group you put together Charlie. I’ve never before felt so much a part of a friendly cooperative team.
I think it has to do with your confidence in the program and trust in the individuals. I hope we did good for you, for the Museum, for the Marine Corps, and in a very real sense, for the country.
You say I do better with color— that might be because I’ve been here in Northern California in the middle of a very vigorous art community with the particular characteristic of entertaining the idea that color is a major speaking voice in the choir. A soloist even. I’ve been here since 2003 and could afford limited access to workshops but I looked really hard and learned all I could.
I think it may be the "we aim to please a family audience" mentality of the animation industry. Skywalker Ranch is only about half an hour from my studio for example. There are smaller satellite studios that support the industry all around, I think. Or at least there are a lot of artists trained to do so. And San Francisco is stuffed with them.
So the color you see in various Pixar animation films are all color schemes meant to be interesting and harmonious and while they may relate to nature, they are not natural.
I have found that if I paint the color I see (which is my tendency) the image has a kind of dullness to it. But if I exaggerate the color I see, the EFFECT of the color presents a seemingly truer scene to me.
I've had the benefit of a lot of good colorific painters to learn from here in California.