Rachel
 

Here's one of my latest paintings:

I love this Michele. Very atmospheric and very well done!

Beautiful painting, Michele. I've followed with interest your mid-career workshop experiences - everything comes together masterfully in this piece. Brava.

Very nice. Looks like a Copley :)

The little girl seems mesmerized and so am I! Congrats, I love the colours, so warm and inviting.

Gorgeous Michele. I want to try one lit with a candle, can you talk about how you photographed this and any challenges?

Michele,

There's something about a candle that calls to artists. Years ago I had to try something very similar to this with my daughter (I'm guessing this is your daughter), it didn't turn out nearly this good.

Since you insist on posting this in the critique section I'll give you this: her left hand, as it wraps over to meet the table closest to us, the shadow line seems to abrupt. It does improve as it goes up the arm, but I'm talking about the area of the hand. To my eye this is the highest /sharpest contrast in your painting.

Wow Michelle! Is she your daughter? She is beautiful. :sunnysmil

Thanks, everyone, but aren't there some more things you would suggest I do differently, if not with this painting then for next time? I know it's not perfect and I want to improve with every painting I do.

To answer your question, Kim, I photographed my daughter with a digital camera using a tripod and a self timer to minimize camera shake. I used only the candle as a light source and I shot dozens of photos, as I always do when getting photo reference.

The trick in getting the right information to paint from was to spot meter the exposure on her face, and bracket lots of other similar exposures from there. I also photographed the candle separately, with many different exposures, and referred to some other pictures I found of candle flames that gave me even more information.

In addition, I did a small color study from life. (Yes, my daughter had to sit there AGAIN! She acted like I was asking for the moon.) Given her impatience and wiggliness I only had about fifteen minutes to do the color study, so it wasn't all that useful.

Congratulations, Michele. This is a pensive, soft and beautiful painting. I love seeing the various lighting challenges you're giving yourself, you brave soul!