https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/12/arts/design/obama-portrait.html
So what do you think of the portraits of Barak and Michelle that were unveiled today?
I think they are super. I love the less traditional take. I prefer Barak’s because of the color and light in the painting. Michelle’s is cool as well although I think she is much more beautiful in person.
I like the untraditional aspect but I wish the painters had captured more of the subjects’ gorgeousness.
Not a fan. They are too far from the standard and I think will look very dated in a few decades. And I am a huge fan of the Obamas, just not these portraits.
I love them. They are unexpected, and beautiful examples of contemporary portraiture. As they are viewed over time, I think they will help tell the story of a moment of change in presidential history, and their unique style will mark that special period of time when barriers were broken. Hopefully it will inspire people to explore other work by these talented artists, as well. I know I did some googling this morning.
I love the Kehinde Wiley portrait of the President, especially the vibrant colors, his placement in the chair, and his expression. I need some time to think about Amy Sherald’s portrait of Michelle - the colors are so cool that the entire picture looks almost washed-out to me. Maybe it’s just that there’s so much warmth and color in the portrait of the President that the First Lady’s portrait seems faded by comparison. I think the artist captured a fascinating expression on her face, though.
" They are too far from the standard and I think will look very dated in a few decades."
I’d argue the standard looks pretty dated now. 
You may be right. We don’t know what the next 10 will look like.
I like his. I’m disappointed in hers. It doesn’t make her facial features distinctive enough. If I didn’t already know that the person pictured was Michelle Obama, I might not have realized it.
Along those lines though, is good, stylistic art ever dated?
Klimt and Botero, for example, produced very stylistic portraits that were a departure from anything else created in or before their time but they definitely aren’t dated.
I think it’s nice to step away from classically styled portraiture and I hope future presidents follow suit or at least deviate from the norm a little.
Looking at his portrait - it’s almost surreal in a wonderful way. His hands and his face stand out. Not sure what they were going for with his hands though, his left hand draws my eye even more than his face. He does have elegant long hands but maybe they should have sat back a little. Hmmmm, an allegory to being a good leader? “In good hands”?
The foliage is odd and wonderful. The leaves look a bit too much like poison ivy but maybe that’s an allegory too, lol. The flowers make no sense from a botanical standpoint, they are just tucked here and there like a wallpaper design. I like how the leaves come over his ankles.
Surprised they just didn’t take selfies of themselves.
I’m not as crazy about her portrait. It does seem a bit cool, both in color and in expression, for such a vibrant woman. Michelle is so happy, so full of life - the portrait doesn’t catch that, but catches her looking a bit wary instead. I think the geometry of the dress pattern takes over a bit too much.
Her dress overpowers her face. It is as if the artist doesn’t want you to notice her face. It is almost in a light fog. I am not a fan. It may look better in person.
Ooooh, does Obama have a sixth finger on his left hand? An extra pinky tucked under there?
Love his, but art history major D and I are debating Michelle’s portrait. I love the concept, but don’t think the facial likeness is what it should be.
I am not a fan at all. On Michelle’s I like the flow of her dress and it’s design but the face does not look like her.
His is worse. Why is he sitting like he is sitting on the john? Why the ivy background? Why the scowl?
I think it looks like the artists tried to hard to be different.
If it weren’t already public, I’d imagine them both doing what Churchill did to the Sutherland portrait that he hated. (Fans of The Crown know what I’m talking about).
Sorry. Fugly comes to mind.
Whoa. Really?
I love his; think it captures him wonderfully.
I agree with others that hers doesn’t have her wonderful genuinely lovely smile, which seems a shame.
If some of you were in an art history class, you’d get Fs for your comments. 
“Take a selfie” and “fugly” don’t fall into that realm of critical critiques.
I don’t interpret Obama’s portrait as being a scowl.
I can’t be the only one who thinks that Michelle’s portrait looks like Kerry Washington?