A study of Cole

[Garth Herrick]

Last night I did this quick pastel study to see how my subject, Cole, might fit in a 24 by 20 inch format. I only had 18 x 24 paper, so yes, these are two sheets overlapped. I picked just a couple dozen sticks here, and the limited color range seems to push me into somewhat inventive use of color, I might not think to employ in oils. The core set of pastels are mainly Rembrandt from a set I was given as a child. I love the immediate direct response pastels can afford; one never needs to wait days for them to dry!

Cole is a handsome quiet shy kid who expressively plays drums; so quiet, I don't even recall hearing his voice once in an hour and a half meeting! I guess he communicated telepathically. Anyway, he immediately and intuitively assumed this pose which his parents and I liked right from the start. At the end of our session, Cole elicited a wide smile, and his mother echoed this indicates quite a lot, coming from him.

His parents are the winning bidders of a portrait sketch in oil service that was auctioned off at the private school Cole attends. I am considering this an advertising opportunity for attracting more commissions. With that, the more simple and direct I can keep this particular portrait's process, the better. Ultimately this is meant to be an oil portrait with a more or less loose impressionistic sketchy feel.

I welcome any feedback and critiques. Thanks.

Garth

[Dan Landrie]

At first glance I thought he was putting on a tie, but then recognized the indication of the drum and was able to discern that he was holding drum sticks. This is probably not a valid criticism and I wouldn't put to much stock in it. It was just a passing thought I had while viewing the sketch and something you might want to keep in mind while doing the painting.

The sketch is absolutely amazing and I'm envious of how quickly and cleanly you executed this pastel drawing. I hope your able to glean a few commissions for your effort.

[Sharon Knettell]

Beautiful Garth.

Did you know that Degas was always adding pieces to his pastels. He has a special person who would add them flawlessly.

The skin is lovely, clear and fresh. I am amazed you did it in the time frame.

[Garth Herrick]

Dear Dan and Sharon,

Thank you both so much. It means a lot to me to have responses from great experience. While this did generate from just a spark of an idea in six or so hours, there is nothing that seems out of the ordinary to me about that. It was meant to be quick and loose, and not too specific. Given that, there quickly comes the point (for me) in laying down the colors that everything is just about where it is going to end up in blending and resolution, and there is no point in going further. While I typically could delve another six months into cleaning it up, I am not sure it would really improve on the spontaneity I wished to preserve, just for once.

So I remain in awe of your collective masterfully rendered pastels, and am honored to hear you think I did well working within the scope of one extended evening.

Garth

[Marcus Lim]

Hi Garth,
You've perfectly captured the essence of the boy's shy, quiet character. Skin tones and all, especially the soft shadows falling on his face. What i feel lacking is that "fleeting moment" quality that will bring up that time-lessness enigma that he has with him too.

I imagined the surroundings blurred as if in the super-fast vibrant shake, but yet not in an energetic way. Kinda like the image we see in our eyes over an object, as we switch focus as we turn our heads.
I wonder if i gave this image to you out right.

[Garth Herrick]

Hi Marcus,

If I am hearing you right, I like the notion of giving a slight motion blur to the props, surroundings and background elements. In reality, there was a stately oak paneled wall behind Cole. I would downplay and blur it a little, anyway.

Thanks for your insight.

Garth

[Marcus Lim]

Hi Garth, you got that right.
I was actually proposing downplaying more than you usually do - and in fact, at one particular area of the painting, have a daring bold blur to give it that edginess contrast to the boy's soft demeanour.

This bold blur should be obvious but yet doesn't steal the fire away from the boy's expression. That's what i can add to your current new idea you have.

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Marcus Lim

Hi Garth, you got that right.
I was actually proposing downplaying more than you usually do - and in fact, at one particular area of the painting, have a daring bold blur to give it that edginess contrast to the boy's soft demeanour.

This bold blur should be obvious but yet doesn't steal the fire away from the boy's expression. That's what i can add to your current new idea you have.

Thanks Marcus; great idea!

I have not actually reworked this drawing, but I played with a virtual selective blur in Photoshop: Motion Blur, horizontal, 88 pixels, and then applied the memory brush to restore the sharpness selectively. It looks interesting to me. Is this kind of what you meant?

Garth

[Steve Craighead]

Very nice Garth. I think you have the right degree of sketchiness. I wouldn't refine it any further. Nice compositional idea too.
I wish Dan hadn't mentioned putting on the tie though. I keep seeing that now. Perhaps the drum sticks need to be rendered just a tad more to keep the viewer's mind on track. I wouldn't obscure the drums.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Garth,

As you know I think this sketch is superb. I did see the drumsticks for what they were, when I first saw this. On the other hand, I think the cymbal should be clarified somehow or else removed.

This pastel is not only brilliantly executed, it is also wonderfully spontaneous. If you can try to maintain as much as you can of that in the oil painting (as much as the client will accept), it would be a positive move. The portrait won't be a big, formal one and you might just be able to get away with it.