In Memory of Nina
 

I did this Monday and Tuesday, and am about 2/3 done. Wanted your imput. I have more work to do on the backgfround, minor likeness details, and the yellows are a bit more yellow here than in reality. I let it go for the memorial service tomorrow, then will apply some more glazes.

She was our dearest friend of 20 years, who died last week of cancer.

I will try to upload both the painting and the resource photo. Wish me luck for Cynthia's sake.

I've run up against some unexpected family and friends' departures, and I've never yet figured out how to deal with them. The homilies, my own studies and perspectives . . . somehow when your own face is pushed against that wall, you're not sure what to do.

You've just posted a useful note elsewhere, which I'll merely try to echo here, that the highlights are too white and strong. The real strength of a highlight is in its being an accent, an exciting interruption of value, rather than a tonal shape. [Actually, I'll have to give you shared credit with Jim Riley, who I now recall focused on the highlights as well. If I'm wrong about that, too, I owe everyone a dollar, or at least a plum blossom.]

Best wishes and with shared heartache,
Steven

Sorry for the recurrence, but ... how is it that you chose the altered hairstyle? I thought that she was beautiful in the photograph, and if chemo or other circumstances changed her earlier "look", so be it. She was a beautiful person later, too. I understand that this is a project fraught with intense emotion and a lot of artistic second-guessing, and I'm not presuming to feel or know what you feel and know.

Steven

Thank you for your always great input, Steven. I elected to use the hairdo prior to Kemo, which was always long, as well as the knowledge that her husband picked out a photo for the news release that was of her with long hair.

Point on highlights well taken and agreed with. In the actual painting, I used "flesh" color here with a little white. It is not white as it is here in the painting. I agree, highlights need to be just interruptions of value. I will take a second look at it. I really need an fresh outside eye for this one.

Lon,

I like it! Yeah, I could pick it to death, but why! You skill has left a fine tribute and no more. Great job. I see lots of paint, juicy, painterly! Good! I particularly like the breaking of convention with the horizantial stroke on the sweater. Bold!........L

Thank you, Leopoldo, glad you like it. I am struggling with the gold. Is there a better background for this painting? Maybe more of a beige or tan? The background is just a single coat of glaze. It could easily be improved. Any suggestions?

For what it's worth, I fooled around with this in PhotoShop and put in a violet background, in various values, as a complement to the yellows in the sweater and the flesh tones. I rather liked the effect, you might investigate it (violet or a violet-red). To go beige or tan "might" reduce the contrast between the flesh tones and the background more than you'd like, but I admit I forgot to experiment with that. Anyway, with a background more removed in value, colour and/or temperature, you could afford to get some colour into those highlights, which I suspect are as white as they are now because they had to be to compete with the bright, hot yellow background.

Just some notions, from the five-and-dime. Two-for-one sale today.

My personal opinion? Leave it! There is an energy and a wonderful cohesiveness from a painting that comes from hitting the mark surely, without going back and tickling something to death. Yeah, you could probably improve it, but why when it works...Again job well done...L

Dear Lon,

I have watched this thread every day or so...today my comment has to do only with your inquiry about the background...I think at this level of finish in your portrait, it is a mistake to change the background. You have painted this entire piece within the context of the value, color and saturation of the background, and it is the basis against which you have placed all other strokes. Changing it now would require you to rethink the entire color harmony and repaint a good deal of the surface, and I feel, risk losing the fresh emotional spontaneity and desire to express your own feelings about this sad loss of your friend.

It's a lovely piece, and I am sure one that will be treasured by her family. My condolences.

Chris

Background
 

Lon, I would have to agree with Chris on this one. I painted a portrait almost to completion, then the client wished to change the background color. I was quick to say, "No problem." But, when I got about halfway through, I realized all the other colors of the subject were supported by the background color (reflected light the most visible). That project took me so long to complete. The client was happy with the results, however, it still haunts me in a "Steven Sweeny lesson learned" sort of way. (grin)

Thank you -
 

Great advice from all - violet is a good suggestion, and for future reference I will plug it is when I have an incondescent low light photo.

Good thing this yellow is not as hot as in the post. My work seems to "posterize" in a digital image. That is, it separates out the colors and cooks them a bit in their own direction.

Leopoldo, I guess I will leave it then. I highly regard any advice from you and the others. Thank you.

Chris, thank you for jumping in. Yes, it is too late for radical changes. Any advice from you is of great value.

Morris, that is so funny! Too bad we are so customer controlled in portraits. It is hard to say no to a customer's advice. That is why I trust you all.

The painting was enjoyed at the reception, and I think I shall call it done. It will be a gift to the family.

I trust that that's "haunt" in the best sense of the word.

Lon, my condolences to you and your family. I personally find the portrait very touching and well done.The suggestion of a little violet for the background would seem to work but I truly agree with Leopoldo about leaving it. There is a wonderful freshness within the colors and the mood. I really like it very much.

I am in a similar situation, but different in that it is the one titled Gwen that I posted earlier. I had been working on it and consider it nearly finished. Meanwhile, Gwen has fallen, taken ill and is in a Nursing Home. Of course the daughter asked me to wait and see----well, which way this goes. She wanted me to be with her to present it to her mother. I feel awful because I really wanted Gwen to see it herself as I had done a prior one of her in watercolor and with her eye problems she could barely see it. I really felt that the oil would be easier for her to see.