Looking for some background advice on this...

[lesliehansel]

This is oil on canvas, 18X22. It’s still in the yearly stages. I’m just now seeing the back shoulder need to connect lower, but my question is the background. My intention is for the viewer to decide how much humanity to assign this creature. I gave it human features but it is obviously not a normal person. At first I was considering a rough, subdued woodland scene, maybe a path leading back under its feet. Any thoughts on that vs. a city type background? The piece is tentatively titled “Ingelheim”, after the birth city of Sebastian Munster.

Les

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[lesliehansel]

Sorry, I ment to post this in the "works in progress" forum.

[Singular]

I definitely think a woodland scene would lend better to this painting than a city scene.

[lesliehansel]

Singular,
My concern is that with the figure standing in raw nature people will see it has animal/monster but maybe a path under it will offset that. I wanted to see how much I could distort the human form and still get a sympathetic reaction from the viewer. Astatically speaking I also think woods is the way to go. I can always paint over it or paint another one if I don’t like it I guess. Thanks for the input.
Les

[sharkbarf]

Les, people tend to forget we come from nature. Putting it in a woodland setting would help offset the grey tones the figure has. In a city scape things tend to be more muted. I like it. It reminds me of a tiki head. How about putting it on an island?

[johnwalkeasy]

I think the background that it has already will look the best.

[william_elijah_25]

I could see like a 1920's side show scene. He looks sad, i feel like if it were a nature scene behind him he wouldn't have such a longing in his expression. He looks trapped by the cruelness of society.