This is one shot with the light bouncing off of a white board on the right side, and light on the left angled away from the canvas.

Off I go now to the photographing your artwork area to see what everyone suggests.

Thank you so much for your help!

No need for further comment here, I have started this one over! :D

Dear Beth,

One of the great wonders of oil painting is that you can start out in so many different ways to achieve a spectacular result.

If I were new to oil painting I would buy Peggy Baumgaertner's video series - worth buying, of course, even if you're not new at it - because it takes you step by step through an entire head and shoulders. You can actually see what she's talking about, from point A to B, all the way to Z. Peggy says she is an alla prima painter but she isn't "premier coup" (think: Richard Schmid). Peggy doesn't underpaint in the traditional sense - she paints "into the soup" in layers.

I wanted to point out Peggy's method to you (it's also the Egelis' method, by the way) because I sense that you're trying to combine underpainting methods with direct painting methods.

I don't believe that there is "one" way to paint. In fact, I'm starting to believe that "Character Equals Destiny" insofar as an artist selects a painting method. The painting method will, in fact, choose you. In my own work, I'm trying to combine alla prima with a type of initial underpainting.

I don't know if Karin scrapes everything down when she underpaints, but that's what I'd do with your painting as I see it on the forum - the brush marks are causing reflection, and you won't want brush marks when you move to a finish layer (unless you want a "Russian Impressionist" style).

Love the loosely clasped hands - make sure your frame won't cut them off at the bottom edge.

This will be a lovely painting.

Linda

Linda, thank you for all of your input!

I used oils many years ago, and have forgotten a ton. I did start this again and you are right, I just started to do what felt right. I have not purchased the Maroger medium that Marvin and William like, I bought the wrong thing

No I don't scrape, sand or blend anything down. I have plenty of brush strokes and palette knife marks that show on the surface of my paintings. When you paint with thick paint, it is the nature of the beast.

Dear Karen,

I just visited your glorious website and I see what you're saying. There is a wonderful fluidity in your paint handling - no wonder so many people are trying your methods!

What I meant to say in my previous post is that it's best to avoid ridges of paint in the initial layout, especially in flesh areas, unless you know for sure you'll want a bump there later.

Dear Beth,

Many thanks for your very kind words about my website.

I think lots of artists worry that they'll embarrass themselves in workshops with other artists. (I certainly worry about that, myself.) But I never let that stop me from doing anything, and neither should you.

I'm really looking forward to the workshop, too!

Linda