Leanna monochrome
 

This is an oil of my husbands bosses daughter Leanna (10 yrs old), that I did yesterday using the wipeout technique. Now that I have it on the computer, I can see all kinds of imperfections. But I would love to get feedback from all of you--on the photo and painting--to help improve my work. Being of a drawing and sculpting background, painting is still fairly new to me. Thanks in advance.

ps. I am taking classes to learn new oil techniques that don't require finishing the work in one sitting (before the paint dries).

April,
Your work seems to me to have been executed in the so-called "Reilly Method", taught by the late Frank Reilly. He was an immensly popular teacher at the Art Students' League decades ago. If I'm correct, this underpainting technique is called a wash-in.
According to his approach, you'd next lay in the colors. Don't you utilize a controlled palette too?
Out of my own curiosity, where did you learn this approach?
Thanks,
a.

April,
This is a very nice painting. You might take a look at the modeling of the shape of the upper lip, and also lighten the facial highlights as it curves around toward the light to bring out the 3D form.

Hi April,
That's a beautiful grisaille.
I'd suggest you to review the right side of her face. The eye is not so wide open and not so big, the right side is not so round.
You made a correction on her chin, if you hadn't made that, her face would look longer as in the refference.
First of all, correct the eye dimensions, then you'll see clearly the other necessary chages, but that's a very close likeness. Check the shadows above her lips too.
Try to soft the edges on right cheek and to scumble her neck too.
But that's beautiful anyway.

Actually this painting is done. I'm not familiar with this Reilly technique, but am now intrigued. Is there a book?

With this method, I paint the canvas a solid midtone shade of burnt umber and then paint in the darks (same color) and wipe out the highlights using a cloth. Once the paint dries, there is no more adding highlights--only adding darks. I learned this technique in a portrait drawing class in San Francisco taught by a woman whose first name is Electra. It's really the only painting technique I know so far, but am learning more. I don't love having to finish the painting in one session.

Marvin teaches this technique.

Here are two links to Beth Schott's website showing his method of painting.
http://www.ewschott-fineart.com/work...elsonSpec.html
http://www.ewschott-fineart.com/work...lsonPaint.html

Dear April,
I beleive you must have learned the so-called, "Reilly Method", either directly from one of his students. (or his student's students) A ton of 'em are out there. To my knowledge, he was the most popular teacher of drawing/painting in history!!
He was an immensly popular illustrator, during the golden age of. He apprenticed to the great Dean Cornwall, and in time taught at the Art Students' League. Reportedly, his classes were ALWAYS sold out. In time he left the 'League and his own school was started. I've studied with two of Reilly's erstwhile students, Michael Aviano, (who now teaches privately) and Jack Faragasso, at the A.S.L. Faragasso has had a few drawing/painting books published. Jon DeMartin, at the N.Y. Academy of Art teaches it too.
After the wash-in, (underpainting) one applies paints from a controlled palette over the top. They also have their own means of drawing too.
-Hope That Helps,
Best,
a.

Post Script:
April,
I now recollect another teacher who teaches a Reillyesque method, Frank Covino. He continually teaches around the country. I don't actually even know if he even studied with Reilly though, so I won't vouch as to whether or not he teaches what is today known as, "The Reilly Method". 'Definitely influenced by it though.
To learn more about Reilly see americanartarchives.com/reilly.htm
Best,
a.[B]

April,
More Reilly info: He studied, or was influenced by George Bridgeman, (whom he succeeded at the 'League) Dean Cornwell, Frank Vincent Dumond and Harvey Dunn.
At the end of his too short life, he commenced with the Frank Reilly School of Art. His death brought that to an end, though.

Go here for a two week workshop demo of Marvin's method.

http://www.fineartportrait.com/workshop_demo_4.html

Louis Maestas
 

I'm willing to bet that the teacher April had learned this technique from Louis Maestas or a student of his work. He uses the term "rub out" for his method, which he taught himself through the study of old master techniques. He is not a Frank Reilly protege, though the wipe out and wash in techniques are very similar.

Mr. Maestas creates finished works using this method as opposed to creating an underpainting over which to add color, make corrections, etc.

Click here to read about him and see some of his works online. He paints a painting a day and spends an average of 2-3 hours on one work. His works are often monochromatic (in the umbers or siennas) but he also will add color to the wet work and wipe out with that as well. He does not paint on top of his works. I believe he is still teaching in the Albuquerque NM area.

I had the opportunity to visit this gallery (link above) in person on a recent trip to Sedona, Arizona, and was most impressed with the work, particularly as a student of Marvin's. Marvin teaches a modified version of the Reilly method which does involve the use of a controlled palette, which Marvin has altered to include the Paxton flesh palette. He has multiple demonstrations on his website, here .

This is a really lovely work, April. I'm sure your husband's boss will be thrilled!

Dear Molly,
I appreciate your posting of info on Mr. Maestas. His technique appears very smilar to Reilly's. I do, however, know that Reilly was not the first to teach the so-called wash-in technique. It was particular to Reilly's instruction, yes, but he didn't pull anything out of thin air. Monochromatic means having a single (or limited) hue(s) involved. Almost all underpainting techniques are, therefore, "monochromatic". The uses of Burnt and/or Raw Umber is because they dry overnight, and, thus, can be painted over the next day without lifting. For that reason, the slower drying Siennas are generally not used at this stage.
Nice as Mr. Maestas work may be, without having met Reilly, he could still have learned Reilly's technique else where. He had hundreds of students!!
By the way, 'forgot to mention it last time, another teacher influenced by Reilly's instruction, a Mr. Thomas Ouellette. He studied under a former protege of Reilly, Michael Aviano. He used (and probably still does) to teach in Back Bay, Boston.
More info on: www.realistpainter.com
Enjoy,
a.

Hi Albert,

I didn't mean to imply that Maestas didn't pick up Reilly's method. I can't really say. I did not speak to him personally, but was told by his agent that Maestas had learned this method through careful direct study of old masters techniques. I was just thinking that since he calls his technique "rub out" and does not use it as an underpainting (these are finished paintings), that it bore quite a similarity to what April appears to have been instructed in.

I personally love the look of paintings done this way. I am very tempted to do a series of these finished "rub out" paintings. I wish I had the opportunity to see someone in action who is using multiple colors in a rub out. I'm not sure how that would work! April, did your instructor ever show the technique with multiple colors? I think the reason that Maestas doesn't necessarily stick with just the umbers, is that he's not worried about painting on it the next day. He finishes in one day. Amazing. I wish there were more examples of the multi color rub outs on the website I posted, they are really beautiful to look at.

April, I hope you do more of these! I just love the look. I have a couple that I have done in Marvin's class, but I haven't come anywhere NEAR close to having one I could call a finished painting as I make so many drawing errors that I need to paint over. :(

Dear Molly,
Again, thanks for your input. I, briefly, at the commencement of my art education, studied the Reilly Method. With that, the wash-in was strictly an underpainting procedure. Full colors where applied over the top. In so doing, the drawing would continue to evolve. Errors should, thence, be corrected. A very traditional method, really.
What you describe as Maestas's procedure, while sounding very similar in some regards, is not the same. Putting all the colors down at once, is working alla prima, not traditionally. Both means have produced great works, but there are some crucial differences. Do you admire Bouguereau or Monet? Each are examples of those respective means, although, certainly, Monet usually spent more than a single day per peice.
I, personally, couldn't imagine how one could produce a beautiful painting in a single sitting using a rub-out technique. Maybe I just need to see more.

Molly,

Thank you for your post. It was inspiring to see Maestas work and yes I do believe that's where this technique comes from. All my paintings are done with this method, however am am taking classes to learn techniques which use color. I'm posting a another portrait today, which is my husbands bosses other daughter. Thanks again for getting me that link. His work will inspire the rest of my paintings from here on out.