The Itchen At Winchester – To Crop Or Not?

[Arnie]

Original Uncropped

Cropped to 30x20

I thought I’d start 2025 doing a big oil painting of this watercolour which would scale up to 24x18. However I have a larger 30x20 canvas which I could crop it to (perhaps moving the swan slightly).

Was wondering which version was preferred, Original Uncropped or Cropped?

C&C Appreciated. Thanks for looking. Arnie

Watercolour 15 x11 inches on Fabriano Artistico NOT paper

 

[Terri]

Beautiful scene. Honestly, you could go either way. I like tight crops in photography, but I also prefer elements to not run out of the frame.

Here, if I'd seen the cropped version first, I'd applaud it and move on. But I can see the original, and where it appears most of the crop would be, along the bottom. The uncropped version shows all your strokes to paint the beautiful tree limb reflections and the extra bit of color around them. I love it! The crop kind of cuts into that.

Also (just me) I love the curving S line on the right that ends at the bottom of the bush in the lower right corner, not to mention the shadow underneath it. Just lovely work.

But - we're discussing minutia here - if no one saw the original, this crop would have very little impact on the overall success of the painting. The swan, the tiny people, it's all preserved.

I'll say: artist's choice!

 

[Donna T]

Whichever crop you choose this will be a great subject for one of your oils, Arnie. I have another option for you to consider: what about cropping off a little from the top instead of the bottom? There's not a lot going on in the sky so you won't be losing anything there and the trees are already cropped on top (and we'd still get to see their fullness in the reflection.) Cropping from the top will move the horizon line up a little to put more focus on the water - and the swan will still be the main attraction. It's nice to have options.

 

[Bartc]

Can barely tell the difference. Go with whichever you like best. Nice painting!

 

[snoball]

Not. When you crop it, you lose the "sweet spot" for the swan. Love the painting.

 

[Jo Castillo]

Beautiful painting, I'm not fond of cropping, you lose your line of vision and sweet spot as snowball says.

 

[Arnie]

Beautiful scene. Honestly, you could go either way. I like tight crops in photography, but I also prefer elements to not run out of the frame.

Here, if I'd seen the cropped version first, I'd applaud it and move on. But I can see the original, and where it appears most of the crop would be, along the bottom. The uncropped version shows all your strokes to paint the beautiful tree limb reflections and the extra bit of color around them. I love it! The crop kind of cuts into that.

Also (just me) I love the curving S line on the right that ends at the bottom of the bush in the lower right corner, not to mention the shadow underneath it. Just lovely work.

But - we're discussing minutia here - if no one saw the original, this crop would have very little impact on the overall success of the painting. The swan, the tiny people, it's all preserved.

I'll say: artist's choice!

Whichever crop you choose this will be a great subject for one of your oils, Arnie. I have another option for you to consider: what about cropping off a little from the top instead of the bottom? There's not a lot going on in the sky so you won't be losing anything there and the trees are already cropped on top (and we'd still get to see their fullness in the reflection.) Cropping from the top will move the horizon line up a little to put more focus on the water - and the swan will still be the main attraction. It's nice to have options.

Thank you for your informative replies. I also liked the S line and was wary of losing it, and the option of adding some curving branches there dipping into the water, but was wanting to retain the upper branches on the trees on right. Think the clincher for me was trees are already corpped. I will do another crop and repost. Thanks

I'm being cautious as I got some 'expensive' Windsor and Newton canvases very cheaply when they were rebranded some years ago, and I've not got so many of the 30x20s left.

 

[Arnie]

Not. When you crop it, you lose the "sweet spot" for the swan. Love the painting.

Beautiful painting, I'm not fond of cropping, you lose your line of vision and sweet spot as snowball says.

Thanks snoball and Jo. I will do another crop, perhaps moving the swan slightly, and repost. In my early days of painting I placed the Centre of Interest directly on the sweet spot, but I'm a lot more relaxed about that now.

 

[Arnie]

A crop just from top as @Donna T suggested. No need to move swan as its well positioned. Will get the canvas primed asap, but have to finish of a painting from last year first. Thanks arnie.

 

[Grapes]

I must express my opinion too:
Original is good but so is the cropped.

What your original is lacking and the cropped isn't is the dark area under the swan, I'm talking about the large lower left water area, that is the thing making the cropped so effective compared to the original.
Low left corner when light as you have in the original piece is also taking the effect away from the swan's brilliant light but if that water area was darker the effect would be strong.

I'd say keep the original as it has more "air" and add some darkness to the large low left corner area. That way the original is the winner.

This is just my opinion and I could be wrong, too.

 

[Arnie]

Thanks Grapes - appreciated. As you say its all opinion, and all opinions are true. I'm still verring to the crop in my last post.

 

[Terri]

I agree with Grapes, generally speaking - but will also agree that this second crop from the top is a better option.

 

[snoball]

That last crop will be a great finish.

 

[Artyczar]

Please don't crop it.

In any case, this painting is truly special. It is maybe one of my favorites you've ever done.

 

[Arnie]

Please don't crop it.

In any case, this painting is truly special. It is maybe one of my favorites you've ever done.

Thanks Ayin. Ah! I've got the 30x20 canvas out and painted the ground. Should have started the painting today - I need to get started and focus/ take the plunge, splash paint on and face the challenge and see how it develops from my watercolour.