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Captive Son
Steven,
Thanks for your useful comments. I had not noticed about the left arm, but I think that you are spot on. The values of the shadows is also a valid point and I will work on both of those. In terms of the shirt shadows, I don't want to make them too dark. I am trying to prevent the painting from becoming too "broody" and too dark. Having teenage boys yourself, I think you will understand that mood does not carry as much weight when you are 16 -- being too serious is not cool -- so you have to look disgruntled in a "cool" way. So what I am trying to say is that I do not want the values to be too contrasted, too "sturm & drang." The subject was a reluctant sitter, but it was no big deal. One thing I do like about the picture is the lightness of the light.
The issue that I am personally working on at the moment is the treatment of the face with respect to the rest of the figure/painting. There is more of a sketchiness in the face. I know I could rework it and make it more precise, but I am not sure whether that would work either for the subject or the mood. Soft lines may work for portraits of young children, but on 16-year-old boys they don't (by the way I do believe that teenage boys are very under-represented in portraits). I also like the spontaneity and "rawness" of the treatment of the face. You see the problems of being a psychologist and a portrait painter -- they make terrible bedfellows. I would love to hear your and others' opinions on the thoughts expressed above. Anyway, I will work on the left arm and the shadows of the table and chairs.
By the way, regarding the fruit bowl, it is elliptical in shape and not circular. I don't know whether that will change your views on its perspective.
Once again thanks for your insight. I always enjoy your comments in this Forum.
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