Isobela in Tahitian dress

This is Isobela. I'll post the whole thing then closeups so you can tell me what you think.

I was going for something Bouguereau-y with the pose, and wanted to try the highly reflective bowl. I like the contraposto and the gesture of the hands, but what do you think about the bottom hand?

Are the feet too static? I have other shots of her feet, but when they're crossed, they seemed to bring the composition to a point.

I'm going to set up the background separately.

I am thinking about a longer format, maybe 30 x 40 on panel. I have one ready to go, which would be perfect. I have a 30 x 36 too but it seems wrong.

The blob at the lower right is my pug.

Any comments, suggestions, and dire warnings are appreciated.

The head

I'm having trouble uploading even tiny files. If you would like to view a 400 x 900 version, 200K, click here.

Also, if anyone has background suggestions, I'm all ears. I was thinking a kitchen scene, with wall color in a cool grey to keep the blue vibrant but not killer.

[Michele Rushworth]

I really like this. The dramatic light and strong color would go best with a VERY plain background (just a wall with some indication of light and dark areas) I think.

A kitchen scene would be much too distracting and very difficult to recreate the lighting, perspective, etc. I'd just go with what you have. Very nice!

[Mike Dodson]

Lisa,

Excellent photograph. You may want to look at Tim Tyler's painting of Hannah to get some idea of how to handle the hands and the reflection of the hands on the bowl. The colors I see here are very similar to his.

Mike, Tim and WB are the two inspirations for this. I loved how Tim handled the reflective pitcher. Isobela is positively in love with this outfit so I mussed up her hair and gave her the bowl. She's a great model, not self-conscious at all.

Per Michele's previous posts I took about 40 pictures, and selected this one from them. It's an overcast day here so I didn't have a problem with my ambient light today. I'm trying to approach this one and synthesize all the things I'm learning from SOG.

Thanks for the idea about the background. That's where I was heading too but thought maybe I was being too plain? I would like to use more complicated compositions but maybe not here. Do you think I could leave the black stool in there? I rather like it.

I'm so excited to be back to painting. I've been working on a book cover for a week, mostly in Photoshop, and this photo is just turning my crank.

[Michele Rushworth]

She has to be sitting on something, so yes, I'd put the black stool in.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Side note Lisa, my boston terrier sits in every reference photo I shoot.

Those flat nose dogs are really something, I shot a priest a couple of weeks ago, and loved watching him trying not to react to my dog.

Of course, yours had the wonderful ending in "Best of Show"!

Nice reference.

[Karin Wells]

Verrrrrry nice photo reference. Hands and feet are just fine too. Go for it!

Thanks Karin!

I did go for it, and this painting is at Unveilings

Thanks everybody for your thumbs up! I think it's my best to date. Took forever!