Need Help from the pros here :(

00036PaintingsMachoMen wrote

on 4 Mar 2013 1:25 PM

Helo, i am new in oil painting, only did 3 painting so far this is my 4 painting, its getting nice this painting but i reach a point where i never did this colors.

My biggest problems so far is getting the real color i need for the painting.

This is where i need your help , please tell me how i get the colors to do  the face of the girl cause, this is the picture that i am trying to replicate :

btw this is my first post here ^^ loved the website , i started painting oil in like 4 months, made 3 paintings so far, because i am learning i try to replicate in oil images i love , i try to add something new every time, this is the first time i make a more realistic face and air. I will save the air for the last here ^^.

thanks guys

MarkLa wrote

on 5 Mar 2013 5:35 PM

You can punch a hole in a piece of cardboard and lay it over an area of the painting to isolate that area and get a better idea of the color on it's own, not affected by the surrounding colors.  You can use this outdoors also for on site painting. 

Also, when learning from copying you might put less emphasis on the colors of the original as ultimately the contrast of dark and light areas (values) is a more important element.  In fact, you might forget color for a while and paint with just black and white and grey or various shades of raw or burnt umber. that way you will be more free.  You can always go back later and change color here and there.  Remember, the colors you see in a photo or reprint are not quite the same as the original anyway.  The image looks real to us because of the values.

PS - Recommend a book by RIchard Schmid "Alla Prima - Everything I know about Painting"  has a great section about Color and Light.  If you learned from Mr. Schmid - he would have you doing color charts right off.  His book explains why.

00036PaintingsMachoMen wrote

on 6 Mar 2013 5:34 PM

thanks a lot, i am going to find that book and read it

btw is already painted the face , i think the result was good :P

John13 wrote

on 30 Mar 2013 9:16 AM

Check this out. I think you will find it a lot of help.

http://www.drawmixpaint.com/