Portrait Artist Forum - Primary Colors

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Linda and Terri,

Thank you for your kind words - it is nice to feel you have been missed. The main reason that I have not posted much recently is that I have been very busy doing research on the creative process - specifically the experience of "flow" - a psychological state that I am sure many on this forum have experienced. It is when you become so involved in what you are doing that you lose all sense of time passing and become thoroughly immersed in the task. As you probably know it is a very enjoyable experience, and one that probably motivates artists to paint more.

Linda, I am currently working on a very ambitious self-portrait where I am moving away from the clean lines of my previous portraits toward a far looser, more painterly, style. Isn't that the beauty of self-portraits? no clients to satisfy. I will try and post that once it is finished.

Thanks again for your comments. And may you find flow frequently.

Clive, I'd be VERY interested to read some of your research on the topic of "flow". I find that a fascinating subject, too. Perhaps you could start a thread in the Cafe Guerbois section?

Thank you also, for this very insightful comment:

Quote:

a more subtle smile provided a far more sophisticated image. Often, the broad smile becomes a facade that hides the sitter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clive Fullagar

Beth,

She is a delightful young woman. It is funny though how people's perceptions of portraits are shaped by glamor photography (and in this case Senior graduation photographs). Initially she wanted a pose where she was smiling far more broadly than in this picture. I don't know about you, but I find smiles are the death knell of oil portraits. You never see them in classic portraits, and teeth have this uncanny ability to become the focus of a portrait. I have always felt that the eyes should be the soul of the picture. Anyway, I managed to persuade her (and her mother) that a more subtle smile provided a far more sophisticated image. Often, the broad smile becomes a facade that hides the sitter.

I did change the color intensity as I went along. I started with the blue sweater and had to intensify the yellow wall to balance the blue. That left the armchair, which had to be bold. One thing I did have to change, and which really is not picked up in the posted photo, is the reflected light in the face. I had to use some intense cadmium orange. If I had not done this I think that the facial features would have been completely washed out by the surroundings.

Clive,

I just want to echo that this is a captivating and appealing portrait. I love your sense of design and color development. You are so right about smiles. The really smiley portraits I've done are frightful to look at and I won't include them in my portfolio.

Just a moment ago I saw your Thomas in the Blue Chair portrait which I also especially love. You have a wonderful talent for color, design and for capturing that magical compelling moment in time.

I look forward to seeing more of your paintings.

Garth

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michele Rushworth

Clive, I'd be VERY interested to read some of your research on the topic of "flow". I find that a fascinating subject, too. Perhaps you could start a thread in the Cafe Guerbois section?

Clive and Michele, I also love the research done on flow (we're talking about Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi, right?) and there has been some talk on the Forum about it in the "Creativity Issues" topic found here.

Flow is so important that it needs its own thread, please start one in Creativity Issues. I'd love to read more about it!

Add me to the "flow" too.

Clive, you have a way of "pushing the envelope" that I love. Glad to see you back and hope to see more.

Jean