Self portrait (warm)
 

Hello again,

Just a small study of my head I just finished. I wanted to get back into doing portraits in oil and, as usual, the closest willing model was available....
This was done in one session, about 3 hours.
Oil on canvas, 41 x 27cm (approx 16 x 10.5 ins).

Thanks for looking.

Carlos, I like this very much! And only three hours, I'm impressed. Someday I will try to convince myself to sit for me, too.

Good job again.

Who is that handsome man?

Nicely done and in only three hours. Do you put in some measurment points to guide you or do you just apply the appropriate colors, shapes and values?

It is a very good likeness when I compare it to your avatar, but what I especially like is that you captured that very intense stare that artists get when they are deeply looking at a subject they are painting.

Thanks Debra, Claudermir, and Richard for your kind comments.

Debra, you should sit for yourself: the model is always available, free of charge, easy to argue with should a discussion arise, and will surely agree to the choice of music during the session.

Richard, when I started this I wanted it to be an even quicker exercise, so there is no intial drawing (in dry medium) underneath the paint, I went directly with the brush and made some minimal marks as to proportion and placing. I am quite happy with the "stare" you mention and the fact that I did not have to put on and remove my glasses 80 thousand times in the process.

Very nice Carlos!
The image looks quite dark on my monitor, but what I can see I like a lot. I'm sure it is brighter in person. Really like the cool gray color scheme and the intense expression portrayed.

Your deft rendering of the glasses really give dimension to the face. Very skilled. :)

Carlos, this is a beautiful painting - so nice to see the brushwork and subtle color shifts!

Give your model a raise.

Carlos,

I'm so impressed by what you can accomplish in a short time. You show yourself as a regular guy here (I like that), despite the look of intent concentration that most self portraits capture. I first noticed the lights, the impasto on the forehead, highlights from the lenses of your glasses. Then the beauty of the shadows struck me. I especially like the way your mouth turns down into the shadow. This is such a wonderful self-portrait!

Thanks Heidi and Michael for your nice comments (I enjoyed doing the eyeglasses very much, Michael).

Thanks Chris, your comments are always valuable to me.
Alex, thank you also. You did it again...love the way you focus on small details, I learn a lot by the way you analyze paintings, and somehow they stick to my mind and help me in other pieces.

Thank you all.

I'm in awe of your talent, great work

Ygoa>Goya
 

Ygoa, Ygoa,
You go, you go,
You are the next Goya,
You'll be greater than
Goya...

Congrat!.

Thanks Margaret for your very kind comment. I value it greatly coming from you.

SB....

???!!!???

Thanks...(I think... )

Carlos,

I'm late getting to this beautiful work of yours.
The impression I get from your posts is of a thoughtful, calm, observant (and extremely talented) artist. Your self-portrait shows all that and more. Very very nice!

Carlos, this is a stunning portrait. It is so vivid and so lifelike. Like Alex, I am particularly impressed with the way you handled the shadow areas - simple, subtle - painted with great sensitivity.

Carlos, you are one of my favorite painters on this Forum. Really outstanding!

Carlos, you look better than in your photo! ;) Wau, it is a beautiful, powerful portrait. Simple, yet very engaging. Next time just don't mention how long it took you, it makes us enjoy the whole experience more knowing that you slaved over it for hours on end!

Very nice portrait, Carlos.

Thanks very much Julie, David, Enzie and Thomasin.
Your comments are all very encouraging...

Enzie, I read a quote once of Sorolla saying that he thinks a portrait should be done in one sitting if possible because the sitter grows tired and so does the painter and that shows in the resulting painting...I guess it stuck to my mind while doing this one. I wish I could always do them in 3 hours...(VERY seldom the case).

Carlos, I think this is a terrific painting. It seems to me that you've managed to combine subtle, natural color with accurate values and a fluid brushiness. Your confidence in your drawing ability really shows here.