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Steven Sweeney · 04-09-2002, 08:16 PM

Thanks, folks. Sometimes you know what's bugging you about a piece but you need to have someone else's confirmation to bring your focus to bear on it. Karin, I understand what you're getting at. I've noodled around with that eye a great deal and had begun to do so somewhat carelessly and in frustration, which is part of why I stopped the presses and decided to post the piece for critique. A couple of days' worth of Hippocratically doing no further harm to the patient. I surreptitiously "studied" the structure of my son's eye this morning before he took off for school. One interesting thing about that eye that I'm just going to have to capture is its Scandanavian structure (from his mom), which includes an upper lid that is slightly "fleshier" than we'd normally expect, creating a bit more body shadow than "usual" right above the upper eyelashes and falling obliquely in quite a straight line to the outside corner of the eye, rather than following the spherical shape of the eye. (Can you tell that I can "see" the eye, I just can't paint it, yet.) The fullness of that area should be -- and isn't quite yet -- picking up more light than it is. I have had the whites of the eye lighter, too, but it made him look like he'd been assimilated by the Borg, probably because I've got the iris and pupil too dark. Then there's the issue of the eyeglasses, most problematic on the shadow side of the face, where I have the challenge opposite the one you mentioned, Karin -- not wanting a too-bright value stuck into a dark area.

As for size, it's an oddball 20-5/8 by 26-1/2, a prestretched linen format I bought in a Chinese art store. Should be a lot of fun trying to find a frame. The size was deliberately chosen to accommodate the composition in a slightly less than life-size rendering.

Mike -- Was there ever again a line-up like Gilda, Laraine, Dan, Bill, John, Chevy, Jane and Garrett. And I'm still operating under advices (and dispensations) offered by Fr. Guido Sarducci. (Talk about dating oneself.)

Keep those cards and letters coming in, folks, I'm taking notes as fast as I can.

Steven

04-09-2002, 08:16 PM	#2
Steven Sweeney Juried Member PT 5+ years Joined: Nov 2001 Location: Stillwater, MN Posts: 1,801	Thanks, folks. Sometimes you know what's bugging you about a piece but you need to have someone else's confirmation to bring your focus to bear on it. Karin, I understand what you're getting at. I've noodled around with that eye a great deal and had begun to do so somewhat carelessly and in frustration, which is part of why I stopped the presses and decided to post the piece for critique. A couple of days' worth of Hippocratically doing no further harm to the patient. I surreptitiously "studied" the structure of my son's eye this morning before he took off for school. One interesting thing about that eye that I'm just going to have to capture is its Scandanavian structure (from his mom), which includes an upper lid that is slightly "fleshier" than we'd normally expect, creating a bit more body shadow than "usual" right above the upper eyelashes and falling obliquely in quite a straight line to the outside corner of the eye, rather than following the spherical shape of the eye. (Can you tell that I can "see" the eye, I just can't paint it, yet.) The fullness of that area should be -- and isn't quite yet -- picking up more light than it is. I have had the whites of the eye lighter, too, but it made him look like he'd been assimilated by the Borg, probably because I've got the iris and pupil too dark. Then there's the issue of the eyeglasses, most problematic on the shadow side of the face, where I have the challenge opposite the one you mentioned, Karin -- not wanting a too-bright value stuck into a dark area. As for size, it's an oddball 20-5/8 by 26-1/2, a prestretched linen format I bought in a Chinese art store. Should be a lot of fun trying to find a frame. The size was deliberately chosen to accommodate the composition in a slightly less than life-size rendering. Mike -- Was there ever again a line-up like Gilda, Laraine, Dan, Bill, John, Chevy, Jane and Garrett. And I'm still operating under advices (and dispensations) offered by Fr. Guido Sarducci. (Talk about dating oneself.) Keep those cards and letters coming in, folks, I'm taking notes as fast as I can. Steven __________________ Steven Sweeney [email protected] "You must be present to win."