Reddit reviews The Wolves in the Walls

Is this based on the Neil Gaimen book?

https://www.amazon.com/Wolves-Walls-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0380810956

Material for /r/heavymind

I feel like this is very open-ended so there is a lot to latch on to which is nice for /r/heavymind I think; it gets you thinking rather than delivering the message directly.

(pseudo-tangent)
I usually try to judge the meaning of a piece on what I can get from it rather than what the artist intended cause it seems like artists subconsciously or accidentally include some great themes which shouldn't go to "waste" so if it feels like I am taking too many liberties in the below section let me know.

I feel like if in the future this sub grows(which it may not want to, idk), it would be on submissions like this which would avoid the consistent /r/im14andthisisdeep critique. But then again it's tough because an artist could fake this style by putting strange things together and calling it art and meaningful.

Meaning

(I'll try to stick to as concrete as possible) As I said before, you can think a lot about it. The main figure is floating above what looks to be a peat bog or a swamp and is holding a head and arms by the hair. The figure has a very uncaring attitude and is missing a face, so she really doesn't have any emotional connection to the fact that the head look like it is drowning. Also she is floating which is evocative of a traditionally spiritual or "super-human" character. She is drawn very realistically also. The head is flailing in the bog and our eye is drawn to it by her long hair. In society[traditionally,] someone with long hair is either considered beautiful (like a long-haired maiden) or in disrepair (like a homeless person.) This being without a body is being kept afloat by a ethereal being with no face. Interestingly, the head is not drawn as realistically as the body. It is has a circular profile and almost childlike features. So to recap, a childish head is being held by a realistic body with no face in a peat bog. The mature "body" is supporting her immature "mind" by her "hair" from being drowned in the "bog." This is out nearly complete abstracted sentence and when it is complete we can substitute the words in quotes fir whatever suites our fancy. The final piece is what the bog represents. Is the past the bogs had extremely spiritual significance and there were humans sacrificed to them. here and here.

So is the head(which might represent a mind) being sacrificed (by something) to the bog? Why would her body be trying to keep here above the water?

The answer to the "something" would most likely be the house. and whatever it might mean. I'm getting a little long but I'm going to stop right here.

The immature "head" [or mind] is being "sacrificed" by the "house" and being saved by a mature "body."

Definitely not the only thing that could be said, let me know what you think.

On the artistic front

I think its a bit drab and a little cliche. I feel like the pallette has been used a bunch of times which isn't bad per-se (because there are only a certain amount of colors than mix well) but I think it could have been something other than black and tan and grey-ish(but that would be tough and may not have the same effect so from an artists perspective it's not worth it.)

It has a rather "Wolves in the Walls" art style to it which intrigues me.

I do love the composition though and because of it you can tell the artist knows what the hell he[or she] is doing. It is complicated where the focus is shifted to the right and the balance in general is on the right side but the eye is drawn from the head of the figure down through the hair and up again to the house which I think is cool. Its appropriately subtle and very well executed.

The Wolves in the Walls. http://www.amazon.com/The-Wolves-Walls-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0380810956 (by Neil Gaiman)

I like to make art on rainy days. I once painted a Zelda themed dresser during a hurricane. When I get trapped I feel like I have nothing holding me back from working on art. I can really focus without feeling guilty about not being out and about. :P

I don't have a Kindle so I don't have any on my list, but I do have The Wolves in the Walls on my list that I'd really love.

Thank you!

Relevant Gaiman.