Cristina
 

Hello to all.

After my disaster int the WIP section, I decided to try my hand at another portrait. She is a friend of the family on a one year sabbatical (so she has the time to sit). I had two sessions with her totalling to about 3 hours and 20 mins for both sessions. I wanted something quick and not too overworked. Something of a warm up. This is the result of those two sessions.
Oil on canvas, 61cm x 46cm .

Thanks for viewing.

Nicely painted, but I usually prefer to set up models with lighting coming from somewhere other than straight on. This looks as if there was a large window or light coming from almost right behind you as you painted her, which has flattened out the form. There's no opportunity to communicate three dimensionality with a lighting setup like this.

Carlos, I find the structure very solid and convincing but have reservations on the way you then developed the painting.

This is something I tell myself when painting portraits: so ok, you have painted her hair brown, her dress black, her skin pink, the background ochre. Do they integrate?

I think in your work ,this time, they are all very separated, mainly in tone. The hair is very dark but the skin is very light, the black is dark again (look at Sargent for light blacks or at this painting against her skin, but it should be lit by the same light .

Did you work each section at a time? I have found very useful for me to work in and out the same edge, and find out if there are parts in which that edge might disappear. try to view your photo in B&W and this will appear more clear.

Also I find that when the whole of the background is painted in, the figure should be painted all the way to the bottom edge, even if it is sketched roughly, to avoid that floaty feeling.

Now that you have establish so well her proportions, could you do one more sitting to work on unifying the tone or letting some of the colours bleed into another area?

Ilaria

Thank you both for taking the time and for the feedback,
Michelle: actually, the light was coming from my left (the model

Carlos,

A good way of integrting the color would be to first ask yourself "what color is the light?" And then look for the colors in the halftones (indirect light) and shadows, which are both generated by the color of the light. You should find the same light/halftone/shodow colors influencing all the different elements of the painting, from the skin to the dark hair.