Challenge # 14 - November 22 - December 31, 2011

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 4:26 PM

Cindy, you have created quite a collection of Christmas cards this year and one is prettier than the other.   The poinsettias are very attractive and the complementary Christmas colors work well.  Good values throughout the painting.  In a few place, where the green got mixed with the red, the colors got a little dull.  As you know, complementary colors gray each other.  Overall, it is lovely.  

wetpaperfan wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 4:41 PM

Thank you so much for the kind encouragement.  I will attempt red pointsettas.  and thank you so much for turning it around.  maybe you will let me in on the secret of how to do that... tee hee..  I'm glad to be here.

C&C's always welcome....

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 4:47 PM

Martha, I took your painting into Photoshop and rotated it a quarter turn to the right.

sandichot wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 5:39 PM

Marsha -Big welcome for you to join our little group here. I love your Santa painting. I agree with Sammy that for someone who hasn't painted for awhile, you did pretty good job. I like that you variegated the green leaves and all colors go together well. The red cheek Santa looks so cute! This is a nice entry to start with.

Cindy- I love your red Pointsttias esp. the second one. You have all kinds of red; pink red, red-red, and very red. Very cheery and good presentation for the Holidays.

Finally, I got Haydin's portrait done. Last evening when I put skin colors on her face, she looked so lovely with the blush on her cheeks but on second look she seemed to have pasty face. This morning, I add contour colors and highlights and somehow that make her look old, so I backtracked and washed off some of the colors. Have to remind myself that with young children and babies, less is more.

I think I have made her hair too red. Guys, if you think she looks like a red head, please let me know, if so, I can make a change fairly quick and it is easy to do too.

This is watercolor on wcpaper cold press. 140 lbs.

Size is 11"X14"

wetpaperfan wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 7:05 PM

Her hair is beautiful.   what a cut little gal. 

Marsha K

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 7:31 PM

Sandi, you did a really good job on Haidyn's portrait.  Her mom is a redhead and she and her younger sister, Lauryn, both tend toward red hair.  I think you captured her mouth and teeth and big, blue eyes very well.  Her eyes look real and appear  to sparkle.  Her hair is well done.  She looks older than her three years.  I think if you remove the contour lines shaping the bridge of her nose she would look younger.  She hadn't yet developed a bridge.  Also, the dark outlines around her eyes could be toned down some.  They look like eyeliner.  Since she was wearing adult accessories, she could have been wearing makeup but she wasn't.  Those red lips and rosy cheeks are natural. 

The skin tones are beautiful.  I love the rosy cheeks.  The lavender shadows under her eyes and neck are beautiful.  The straw hat looks very good.  It isn't easy to do portraits in wc but you did an excellent job with this one.   The blue bg sets off her eyes and ties the painting together.  Now I'm even more intimidated to do mine next Tuesday.  You and Cindy set the bar really high!  

csebeling wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 9:06 PM

Thanks Sammy- I'm still learning which ones are transluscent and which are not. I probably broke all the rules for watercolor on this one...put color on...take off...put it back on...duh...Hopefully, I'll figure it out, eventually.

csebeling wrote

on 9 Dec 2011 9:12 PM

Nice, Sandi! I love the colors. Haidyn looks like "The Golden Girl". Ditto on what Sammy said about removing the bridge. Also, the space curving around her cheek and your overall technique is awesome! 

bernof wrote

on 10 Dec 2011 12:26 PM

Hi all ,This is the closest I could come to the Santa photo, I call it a visit to Santa and features some of my last years characters

Fred

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 10 Dec 2011 2:00 PM

Fred, it is so good that you have joined us with the Challenge reference photos this month.  It looks like Santa is wearing one of his elf's shoes.  I like that the hillbilly, leprechaun and bear all came to see Santa.  Maybe next year there will be even more characters to visit him.   I love the texture of the fir tree and the colors of the sky.  I also like how you painted the distant trees lightly so that they stay in the background.

sandichot wrote

on 10 Dec 2011 8:00 PM

Masha, Cindy, Jen- Thanks so much for all your kind words. I really enjoyed painting Haidyn. She is such a delightful model who makes me very happy just to see her materialized in front of me. I fell in love with her and just want to kiss those rosy cheeks. 

Sammy- Thanks for the tips of how to make her look young. I should have asked you prior how old she is before attempting the portrait. The more we know about the subject, the better the painting. I did obliterate her nose bridge. There is just a suggestion of it. Also poofed up her left cheek a little by adjusting the dark line next to the cheek, added more indention below right cheek so her right cheek looked poofed too and chin is more pronounced. Lightening her eyes' lines to get rid of the heavy eyeliners. Also lightening the lashes.

I think she looks somewhat younger now. After I looked at the photo in the monitor, I spotted an imperfection on the right side of her nose, already fixed it but can't take the picture yet because it has now gotten dark. I don't like to use flash esp. on portraits. I am going to send her picture now even with the imperfection in case you see something else that should be attended to.

No need to be intimidated, I am sure you will be able to make beautiful painting in whatever you pick up. You always have that ability and when you work with your love of the model, it will come out even more beautiful.