Portrait Artist Forum - View Single Post - Another brave soul willing to undergo criticism!

Karin Wells · 11-12-2001, 12:14 PM

For starters, I'd love to see the whole painting as a detail does not show design and composition.

However, what struck me is that your shadows are much too dark and opaque and your light is much too light. I assume that you painted with photographic references....and this is the problem with photography.

When using photographs to paint from you must paint what you know....and not what you see. Photos portray shadows as very dark and opaque...which in reality they are definitely not.

Shadows are warm. Only deep shadows are hot. The halftone (where light turns into shadow) is cool. Light is warm, and highlights are cool. Unfortunately photos seldom show how warm and cool colors layer to create "reality".

I always use photographic reference material in my paintings, but I repeat...."I paint what I know and not what I see...."

11-12-2001, 12:14 PM	#2
Karin Wells FT Pro, Mem SOG,'08 Cert Excellence PSA, '02 Schroeder Portrait Award Copley Soc, '99 1st Place PSA, '98 Sp Recognition Washington Soc Portrait Artists, '97 1st Prize ASOPA, '97 Best Prtfolio ASOPA Joined: Jun 2001 Location: Peterborough, NH Posts: 1,114	Critique For starters, I'd love to see the whole painting as a detail does not show design and composition. However, what struck me is that your shadows are much too dark and opaque and your light is much too light. I assume that you painted with photographic references....and this is the problem with photography. When using photographs to paint from you must paint what you know....and not what you see. Photos portray shadows as very dark and opaque...which in reality they are definitely not. Shadows are warm. Only deep shadows are hot. The halftone (where light turns into shadow) is cool. Light is warm, and highlights are cool. Unfortunately photos seldom show how warm and cool colors layer to create "reality". I always use photographic reference material in my paintings, but I repeat...."I paint what I know and not what I see...." __________________ Karin Wells www.KarinWells.com www.KarinWells.BlogSpot.com Last edited by Karin Wells; 11-12-2001 at 12:15 PM.