That is the question! Well, one of many questions, but one that gives me a bit of pause AFTER I’ve finished the painting. Most of the other questions that bang around in my head are BEFORE and DURING a painting. The above image is cropped to its’ 4″ x 6″ intended size I had drawn out on the paper prior to going outside to paint. But here’s what it looks like SANS croppage:
There’s something about those peripheral edges I love! I’ve always been drawn 2 to uncropped edges…they seem to show the “made-by-a-human-being” ness. They show the artist’s “hand” as it were, the effervescence, the leaping off the page…as if the colors just can’t be contained by arbitrary boundaries. Oh how I love that.
Oh how I want that in my inner life as well as my paint life.
In my opinion, the cropped version is too dark. I do prefer the uncropped version.
I personally really like the “messy edges” and wouldn’t crop it. I think they add a lot of interest to the picture. And, as usual, I’m amazed by your fantastic choice of colors! <3
I like the edge too–beautiful piece =0)
Mmmm a difficult choice, they both look good. I personally always leave some of the white paper around the edge.
I also like the uncropped version. Somehow the cropped looks squashed – the flowers bursting to be free!! Bit like my inner self too! But oh the choices.
I think it looks better uncropped. Really nice colours 🙂 And I agree with the others the first version looks squashed.
Don’t crop… I love the looseness. Great colours too.
I also vote for the uncropped version. I would, however, trim off a bit of the white on the right hand side.
Hmm…how about the middle ground? Halfway between the wide white border and no border at all?
I say uncropped, it goes along with the whole style of the painting. Which is wonderful, by the way.
I’m with you on the uncropped version!
I’m with the rest of the “no-crop” club! I love the looseness of it, too! nancy
Don’t crop! It’s so much prettier with the white showing.
my two cents worth: Don’t crop, it’s lovely, lively, sparkles with that white edge…no cropee.