The Easter Hat
 

Whew! Photshop has been killing me -- (after much pounding and proding of my computer I think it will work) This picture may have been a good candidate for the new Photo section Mike is proposing. It was taken with a flash indoors and as you can see there is no clear demarcation of shadow and light. So I tired to create it myself. This is the underpainting near completion (I think) and I am looking for guidance. I think I may have light coming from two different directions but have looked at it so long my eyes are popping. I took a seperate photo of foliage and blurred it for background. Unfortunately the model is not available for additional shots so I will either have to work with what I have or file it. Any comments on likeness, position of the hands, etc, will also be greatly apprectiated.

Detail of face
 

Detail of face.

Reference Photo

I have been drawing and painting portraits for forty years and I still would not be able to magically put lighting in a face that wasn't there. I get my information from the photo that I am working from. If the photo isn't right , there's no way I could "fix" the lighting using my imagination and make it look correct. Try to take the photos yourself, using either natural light from a window or an artificial light source that mimics natural light from a window. Flash pics are going to always look like flash pics.

Linda,

Point well taken. Because I have limited reference resources I thought I would try it. I guess this is one for the mistake file. :oops:

If your client is desperate for this particular photo, just do it as true as you can. I have done many a drawing from the clients flash pics, before I had a camera of my own, that pleased the client, even though I knew deep down that they were not good portraits. In some instances I just refused to sign my name to them.