Looks good. I don't have the trained eye that others have, so I wasn't as bothered by some of the things that bothered them. What did bother me was not the man in the background (though I thought he was disproportionate), but the big number 1 on his uniform. The symbolism of a number one for a sports portrait is appropriate, but it was too much for the composition. I think your painting is much stronger now.

Polo Practice 3
 

This has acquired a title since my last post: "Polo Practice." I opted to eliminate the yellow sash of their play uniform for the plain practice shirt you see here.

I also wiped out and re-introduced background elements in a balancing act that now has me wishing for a shoulder massage.

Your comments will light my runway for landing this portrait next week.

Thank you and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

You might want to take a second look at your initial post. The lighter shadows - especially on the face - looked better and more realistic. This can be a problem when copying a poor photograph. Although the shadows appear very dark, they cannot be successfully painted that way.

On my monitor the contrast between light and shadow on his shirt/pants/helmet does not appear to be the same as it is on the face.

In other words, if the value difference between the light and shadow is 40% on the face, the same light/shadow ratio will register at 40% on the rest of the figure.

Sometimes it is easier to see what is going on if you look at a painting sans color.

Turn on the lights!
 

Thank you, Karin!

Your comments arrived just in the nick of time, as I will be going back into this today.

Here is a detail which I believe shows the shadows are not quite as dark as they appeared in my last post. Nonetheless I shall address your comments today while pumping up the lights elsewhere on the figure (shirt, arm, and boots).

I didn't hear any comments regarding the background. I have decided to leave it as is.

Thank you!
Jeanine

Background
 

Hi, Jeanine,

I'm looking forward to watching this progress. Regarding the background, I still see the #1 as a focal point. Try to decrease this as much as possible. Peggy Baumgartner"s "Fancy Lady" might be a good post to review on keeping the values low in backgrounds. I know you want to keep the other man there to help explain the polo theme of the painting but since that man is so large he attracts attention. I'm no pro, so take my suggestions as comments only, (but check Fancy Lady out anyway, just cause it's a wonderful painting).

Jean

Finished?
 

Here he is.

Polo Practice Detail
 

I really should re-photograph this in natural light. I just couldn't wait!

Jeanine,

This is very nice, I like the whole thing. The man's face is very well done. The little vase is bit of an eye catcher, I think it could be toned done a scosh. Maybe because it's set in front of the darkest background. What was the size again?

One more time with feeling, I really like it.

I agree with Mike and Jean as I still find the background to be much too dark and far too detailed.

As is, the foreground figure does not compete successfully for the viewer's attention.