Frankell Baramdyka

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This is a work from Frankell Baramdyka, Chile.
You can find his beautiful work right here: http://frankell.blogspot.com/
This is what we think of this piece called: HouserofUsher.
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story
Is it supposed to be a haunted house on a hill? I guess so, it's got all the elements in it. Crooked trees, a spooky old house, jagged edges, and even hidden evil faces everywhere (clouds, trees). And what about the treehouse? "No Gurlz Allowd" I guess it is written this way to emphasize children made this. But do you really have to write something on the treehouse to make it clear it's a treehouse for boys. The choice of details around the treehouse could've also make it clear without adding literal text on it. Like boyish toys and such.
I just can't make out a clear story out of this picture. Rationally I can deduct that it must be about the contrast between a boymade wobbly treehouse again a spooky haunted house on a hill. But you don't get the feeling of a haunted house versus a children's treehouse. It has to be staged a lot clearer to get the point across.

color
As for color. Derived from the elements it must propose a spooky haunting scene. yet the colors I see are mostly if not all in the warm region of the color circle. It's a haunting mansion scene placed in joyfull summerlight. That doesn't make sense. Traditonally creepy scenes are emphasized by cooler colors to convey the feeling of being cold and alone in such a place. Maybe the artist of this piece wanted to try something different...
ps: The darkest parts are almost pitch black, I don't know, I a brightly lit scene like this there should at least be some color even in the dark parts. Or it could be a style thingy...



composition
The haunted house is situated at a higher level then than the treehouse to emphasize it dooming presence. To make it even more evil the could behind it actually reaches out to the treehouse with a menacing claw.
The intentions are good. But do you really have to make a cloud reach for the enemy to get your point across.
Also the treehouse and the haunted house are practically the same size. A little size difference could also make the scene more interesting. Like this:


The road could be a little more jagged to make it more interesting. The treehouse is put more in the foreground to lead your focus from the treehouse to the looming haunted house in the distance. This works more dynamic and adds depth to the piece.

-R-
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Easy yet effective:

-M-
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I would go for this instead of adding text:

-M-