Portraits in oil

Lou Marek wrote

on 30 Oct 2008 1:50 PM

The links you have here and in other groups, Rick, are greatly appreciated. I remember a few years back when I ate every book I could find on Whistler and then I wanted to know his palette. It was next to impossible to find. Your links are very important, even for those of us who may have a lot of experience.

It is akin to doctors having to get CE credits (continuing education) it is so easy for me specifically to get into a habit with color.

Lou

rickscool wrote

on 30 Oct 2008 7:38 PM

Thanks Lou, of course you have to go to the discussions in Mastering Oil like Beginning Oils or Advanced to see how many links I've put into this group. I know I don't have to tell you Lou because I know you've already been there. I only mention this for the benefit of other members that don't know the links are there.

You talk about experienced painters, I know that in my case with experience comes complacency and bad habits. For instance, just lately while reaching for a jar of medium I realized that for a long time I been reaching for the same one. I've stopped experimenting with mediums. This is not good, what am I missing, how can I improve without trying out new things. So I go to the links and give myself a refresher course.

Rick

Lou Marek wrote

on 4 Nov 2008 5:32 PM

The way I try to stay sharp is to do paintings that I don't particularly want to do. For argument sake I might try an abstact espression or cubist or another school that I would never do for my own career. It allows me to "play" while in the midst of my commissions. I had a client ask me to copy a few Jazz artists paintings done by a dead artist he liked but wanted "real" paintings. I was okay with it as long as he kept them in his home.- I didn't worry about that though, the style wasn't great to my tastes but he was satisfied and paid.

Lou

DanielH wrote

on 17 Nov 2008 1:18 PM

Hi all,

Here is a fresh painting in oil - just finished it last night. I toning a canvas-covered panel with a mixture of umber + ultramarine blue (a rather dark tone). Next I did a grisaille in burnt umber & white. After the grisaille was dry, I did the majority of the flesh colors, the highlights of the flowers & the dress.

The model (my lovely wife) was wearing a brown dress. At first, I painted the background a shade of green, but I later decided to paint the dress green since the color would nicely complement her dark-red hair and complexion. After letting the second round of painting dry, I refined the flesh tones & flowers, added some heightened color to the dress, and mixed up a slightly warm gray for the background behind the model's head. The darker background tone is a mixture of prussian blue & burnt umber.

The Bridesmaid - oil on canvas-covered panel - 14" x 22"

DanaD12 wrote

on 18 Nov 2008 5:53 AM

It's beautiful, Daniel!  I quite like how you've painted the dress.  Looks palpable, lovely satin finish.  And you've captured a sweet and charming look to your wife's face.  Very nice.

DanielH wrote

on 19 Nov 2008 4:15 AM

Thanks so much for your comments Dana!

Are there any criticisms that anyone would like to offer? Upon re-reading my post, I think it comes across as if I knew exactly what I was doing and was in complete control the whole time - which is definitely not true! I began the painting with a plan, and I would say I generally achieved what I set out to do, but I had some "happy accidents" along the way which made the painting turn out better and also helped me learn a thing or two.

First off, I used zinc white (I've only ever used titanium white before) and I loved it's texture. I liked the transparency it gave me when mixing my flesh tones. However, I didn't realize how much cooler of a cast the zinc white gives to very light areas. Later, when I was mixing flesh tones for the second round of painting, I used an old reference sheet that I had saved from a portrait painting class in college. It gave some suggested color mixtures for making various shades of flesh-tone. When I mixed some up, I noticed it had a much warmer color temperature and I ended up using it for the warm reflected light on the right side of the figure. I still used zinc white in the mixture, but much less than before.

Also, the satin look was intended, but the way I arrived at it felt accidental. I only did 2 simple layers of color - a yellow-ochre green mixture and a brighter viridian & white mixture over top. The darkest part is the ground showing through. This was much easier than expected, but it looked right so I stopped.

The only thing I don't like about the painting is the hands... I think I should have had more patience and brought them a little further along. I didn't want to put too much detail into them to take away from the face, but I find my eye naturally going there anyway. Oh well... Lesson learned!

DanaD12 wrote

on 19 Nov 2008 10:45 AM

Yes, Daniel, the hands.  On her left hand, her thumb protrudes too far.  And her right hand could have just a touch more detail.  Also, it appears that the hands are very small (something I'm guilty of!).  For the most part, you can measure the hand against the face... the hand should reach from just under the chin to the middle of the forehead (for measurements). 

It's in the small details that truly make a painting special. 

Lou Marek wrote

on 19 Nov 2008 11:50 AM

Constructive criticism only. And this is a dubious effort because art is so personal especially if it is a portrait of someone so close. I look to some of my favorite artists of the past when I paint a portrait and the first one to come to mind is Goya. Some of the portraits were so reflective of the way his sitters looked that they themselves were appalled. The Queen for instance. Yet his portraits were more about the person than the look. So are your hands too small or are they techinically correct? They are what you need them to be and if you can walk away from your portrait dissatisfied then don't walk away.

From my opinion I would have liked to see more attention on her dress and jewelry or lack of it and the environment (see Madam X - Sargent) Her pose suggests a proud woman and in that visage I would like to see all the other elements more regal. dramatic, proud. These are words that mean visually something different to all of us. So your painting is good,  and it is great, if you feel you have captured her soul. If not do it again. Reworking for me is death. My first brush stroke has a tie to the last brush stroke and I hestitate to start until I "feel" I know where it will finish. And that knowledge is a feeling not a picture in my head.  Everytime I start a painting and it can be any subject I fail if I don't approach the canvs with this sense of finish.

Lou

tclepsch wrote

on 20 Nov 2008 7:02 AM

I commend you - especially the face and fabric are wonderful.  I agree about the left thumb - a bit too long also.  Would the thumb not be in more shadow also?  My first impression after admiring this piece was the prominence of the necklace.  I would suggest leaving the necklace the same on the left side (the lit side - the model's right side) and darken the necklace on the right side (in the shadow).  I think this will make the necklace much more dramatic.  Use the value on the neck to dictate the value on the necklace.

Kudos,

Sue

DanielH wrote

on 20 Nov 2008 10:52 AM

Thanks everyone for your comments. You all have been extremely helpful. I was aware of the weakness in the hands but hadn't considered modeling the necklace more to increase the drama (thanks Sue!). That could easily be done with some careful glazing. Dana, I definitely agree that it's the details that can really make or break a painting.

Regarding those hands - I think I'm going to re-work them a bit, because I'm definitely not satisfied with them as they are now. And Lou, I greatly appreciated your sage advice - "if you can walk away from your portrait dissatisfied then don't walk away." I shall return to the canvas. My goal is to be realistic but painterly - and I've noticed that if there is one part of the figure that is weak, the eye tends to not be able to leave it alone.

Thanks again for all of your comments. I think it's really great that we can all help each other along on our artistic journey.

Phil4a wrote

on 17 Oct 2009 1:38 PM

This is Katie, my granddaughter when she visited me last Christmas.  Started with her posing and finished from a photo.  The painting is 16 x 20 and is oil on canvas.

Sharon Repple wrote

on 17 Oct 2009 9:46 PM

Phil, beautiful painting, skin tones, background.  I remember when you first started this and I love all of the changes you made.  Lovely young lady.

brushorg wrote

on 21 Oct 2009 12:22 AM

hello folks,

ya'll have some impressive pictures on here especially that last one from Phil4a that's a nice one.  i'm new to the industry of fine arts as i've been only in for 4yrs and counting.  i fall in the region of an figurative expressionist as my media are in oils.

here's some of my paintings to share in the Paraná pit.

This is part of a 3 piece painting called In the Eyes of a Hakujin.  [OILS]

TERRi.  [24"x30"][OILS]

California Culture Shock  [larger then a 24:x30"][OILS]

enjoy people,

rom