I've been doing a lot of mandala work lately and have decided to switch it up a little.
This is my first try at this style, criticism much appreciated!

Criticism?

I'm just going to stand black and applaud gracefully.

I like this

Yeah, that's a nice first attempt for your new direction. Mandalas are great but it's nice to play with a broader language...

So you want criticism? Like specific stuff...? That's hard, since art is in the eye of the beholder. Your technique is smooth, and being at such an early stage in this new art paradigm you've entered- I think you can be pretty confident that you won't be limited by your digital skills.

You'll be your own worst critic, because only you can know what the vision is that inspired the piece, and by how far it falls short. Ask yourself, what was I trying to say here- and did I manage to, more or less? For example: as a casual viewer, I get the impression that you're showing the literal dissolution of self- the grayscale facial fragment- revealing the rich inner visionary realm. If that's the case, those flame shapes at the top might be more effective if they drifted off like smoke instead of ending like knife blades. Referring to real smoke, like burning incense or something, would help make this effect more realistic. Then, the visionary realm revealed- that might be more effective if it took up a bit more of the composition- imagine making the canvas taller, maybe by 20% or so. This would give you the headspace to go to town more with the visuals- perhaps you could bring in some of your mandala action, centered on where the third eye would be if that part of the head still existed...

I think the dense core of hyperspace matter hovering in the brain cavity is a super cool touch.

I think it's great that the head is large, somewhat monumental, and you wouldn't want to go too overwhelming with the visuals, or you'd lose that effect.- the large head makes for a strong composition and makes the sense of personal dissolution central to the composition.

Keep it up, you have both vision and skills.

So I got stoned and decided to add some further details and finishing touches. Thanks for the feedback friends.

I don't have any criticism, but I like it. Would you care to share your workflow?

very nice!

To Art V. I'm glad you enjoyed it, basically all I'm doing is creating the basic scene and then using images with unique textures to superimpose over the top of the other images. I do this simply by messing with the opacity and then clean it up with the eraser. After I am satisfied with the texture I add effects to my liking. I am also using mandalas I created in illustrator to give it that visionary look.
Have fun with it, I'm still in the process of teaching myself so if you find any tricks I'd be happy to hear them!

second picture is fantastic but the softness in the first picture is quite appealing! nice job you have inspired a daydream

Very nice Work! Sharp! Very original. Thank you so much for sharing, feel free to keep on sharing.

Much Gratitude,

IH

So I've changed the title of this thread because I've decided I really enjoy doing these designs and I'm going to compile them all here so you can all watch me stumble awkwardly into this odd landscape that is "visionary art"

This is a work in progress I have titled "Opening"

Nice, you're doing a great job with your stumbling! Got any more?

Thanks, no more as of yet. I'm working on a re-creation of a salvia experience I had but it may be a while in the making, not quite sure how I'm going to give it that salvia feel just yet.

Awesome work. Just to be brutally mean and honest, . . . in the world of visionary art, there are so many . . . . well daubers . . . but this is really really good. I love the detail and evocativeness of it. Great use of color and medium. Wish I knew more about art to have the right language. Thanks for sharing.

This isn't the same style but I'll probably throw it in the background of something else.
Just wanted to share. I was trying to make a fractal torus but my computer literally froze after it became too complicated

That's great; you've conveyed a lot of depth and action using really simple building blocks. Almost looks like a cosmic gearbox!

...and I bet this would invert nicely- orange on a black background...

Something fun I just learned how to do, thanks to Shivaindisguise for inspiring me with your banner. I only wish I could get it to flow more smoothly.

Here's the new one, entitled "The Game" a re-creation of one of my more memorable salvia experiences where I was summoned into the world of two elephant headed children via a toy they had, it wasn't much fun for me and I didn't think it was nice to play games that involved ripping other beings from their reality for a cheap thrill, but they seemed to have a good laugh watching my face emerge from the clouds.

Looking back this experience was probably telling me that (here's the kicker) "it isn't nice to play games involving ripping other beings from their reality for a cheap thrill"...

The work is never finished, but I am happy with it for now. Criticism appreciated!!

Nice strong composition- the diagonal structure is a well known composition trick that conveys strong energy. Technically very smooth. Great colors. But when I look at it I dont get a strong sense for what you are describing from your salvia trip. The face in the sky looks serene- not like someone being ripped forcefully from their reality. And those look like elephant headed adults. Seems like you decided to mix up the context of some of the story's elements a little bit... Although it's not a literal depiction of your trip, it may be a more pleasing image as a result.

You've got three really nice pieces of art in this thread... Post in Art Bin please!

Thanks Guy, a few things regarding the way I decided to convey the image; first of all I don't have a subscription to quality photos so I have to scour the web for free images because I want to have legit artwork. That explains the adult bodies. Secondly I sort of felt compelled to re examine my interpretation of the trip; the composition is really more of a view into what the salvia beings may have been feeling/intending.

I was only viewing the trip as me being unfairly ripped from my reality for their amusement but when I think about my intentions before the experience maybe it was the other way around and I was merely looking for a thrill and carelessly exploiting these beings, I was the one who initiated the contact to begin with...I wanted to give them a little recognition with this piece