Study of Bonnie
 

I was recently in Vermont teaching a workshop and this is the demonstration that I did. The first images about 20 minutes into the painting and the second is about 2 hours.

If you notice the first image has most of the information necessary to move to final painting. I haven't painted-in my deepest darks nor my lightest lights. By staying in middle tones I am able to establish size, placement, likeness, light temperature, facial expression and many other necessary items before moving on to final painting. If within the first 20 minutes I do not have a feeling that I have captured these things to move to final painting, I stop and start again. Much of what was in the beginning shows through in the final painting. In this type of thinking I must be very sure of where I'm working in the value scale so that I don't have to go back to repaint areas correcting what should have been correct in the first place. Say, for example, I had started with the lights too light and the darks to dark, I would have too much contrast and be unable to soften the change from light to shadow with the subsequent lightest lights and darkest darks. The middle values you begin with establish the entire painting process and must therefore be values which you can continue to work with to the end of the painting.

It is good for me to see photographs of my own paintings in progress like this. I recommend you do so also so that you can study your own work. A very helpful press is an understanding how you think. Happy painting to all!

Clayton,
thank you for sharing your knowledge of the "Sargent's method" I find it very instructive and it strikes me that it gives one a great freedom to follow the step by step progression and not deal with everything from the start.
I will definitly practise this approach from now on.

Hi Allan,

So good to hear from you. Please post your efforts in this area. I like to see others efforts because I always find ideas that I didn't think of and find them very useful in my studies. Great forum, lots of fun to poke around and peak at the efforts of others.

cjbiii

Delicious, and wonderfully instructive. Thanks, Clayton!

Garth

Study of Bonnie
 

Thanks Clayton for sharing this, I have always loved to understand this process of middle tones, this has been very helpful!

Very good point, Clayton: to study ones own work! I never thought of it quite that way, as a self-teaching tool. Thanks for posting this. I love to see how you developed it.

A beautiful piece, and very helpful...thanks!