First Selectman
 

Dear Forum:
Here is an oil in its final stages for your valued critique. The source photo is offered for reference only. The goal was to retain the likeness while thinning him out and elongating the neck a tad. My plan is to soften shadow on shoulder and pull together some areas on face. I wonder if a few books on the lower left of the canvas might be a nice device to add the subject's name and my signature?

First Selectman with Books
 

I have added the books. Your comments welcome.

Boy, Jeanine, it is hard to critique an intentional change in the width of the face. However, in you effort to narrow the face and neck, it appears that you have made the nose too long. Then, the domino effect kicks in from there. That won't do. It also looks like the forehead is too long. This is the risk in messing with the width of the face. Now the forehead looks too long as well. The dynamics all change then, causing a conflict in the axis of the head. It might work anyway, because it is very subtle.

Hello Jeanine,

My preference would be to exclude the books. I think I might also bring the vertical line from the top of his right shoulder out just a bit as it goes down.

Thanking!
 

Dear Lon and Michael,
Thank you for valid points. Back to the easel!

Slight Changes
 

Face widened, forehead shortened, nose shortened. The head in the reference photo above actually tilts back more than in my painting. This is intentional as I was hoping to paint him in a more forward manor to express assertiveness. Admittedly this is still an idealized version of the man - one that I hope captures more of him than the photo. I've decided to keep the books for now and ask the client his thoughts as well. Your timely comments helped enormously while the canvas is still wet!

thinning
 

Hi Jeanie,
You defiantly help the gentleman. And I agree the shapes around the nose elongated.

Let me tell you how I thin faces. I do it with paint shop pro, (like photo shop). I resize the picture and turn off the

Thinning
 

[QUOTE=Bart Lindstrom]Hi Jeanie,
You defiantly help the gentleman. And I agree the shapes around the nose elongated.

Let me tell you how I thin faces. I do it with paint shop pro, (like photo shop). I resize the picture and turn off the

That approach can work, but it is risky. It may be better to leave the bone structure in tact, and do a little local trimming or brush work at the edge of the face than to constrain the whole face. Constraining could cause distortion, particularly when the head is slightly tipped and turned as this one is.

Trimming
 

Dear Lon:
The approach you outline above is exactly how I began this painting, though I may have taken it further than was prudent. The human face never ceases to amaze me in its complexity. A live model or single great photo source certainly go a long way in keeping one's focus on the paint . Trying a few options in PhotoShop might help envision the final painting, but only if I can master the subtle manipulations Bart refers to. I aspire to see beyond the photos to remember the live model, my impressions of the person and their own self-image. Keeping it real is the dicipline I continue to learn.

To Mike, Lon and Bart:
Let me just say how honored I am to have painters I admire take time to critique my work.
{{{Group Hug!}}}