Gillian Study 1

Jeanine Jackson · 08-26-2002, 10:18 PM

Do we like this design? A 12" x 6" study done with Raw Umber. The planned portrait size is 48" x 28".

Client visits tomorrow.

Michael Fournier · 08-26-2002, 11:30 PM

Well, Jeanine, I like it.

I must say it reminds me a lot of this painting http://www.jhsanden.com/portraits/hamlet.htm by J.H. Sanden.

I know it is a classic pose and I am by no means suggesting you are copying. And even if you were inspired by this or many others paintings depicting a women descending a elegant staircase, you sure would not be the first artist to use a composition of another artist's to inspire your own work.

I look forward to seeing the next step.

Marvin Mattelson · 08-27-2002, 12:12 AM

I like the basic composition. I love the light coming from the window indicated on my right side. The composition is similar to John

Jeanine Jackson · 08-27-2002, 09:40 AM

Dear Marvin and Michael,

It was very kind of you both to take time to study this and make your valuable comments.

I do not recall seeing Mr. Sanden's lovely painting with a bannister that looks almost exactly like ours! I noticed his is larger than my planned 48" x 28." This would allow 5" head in the current composition. Is bigger better? The client certainly has the wall space. However, her heirs may not.

What attracted me to this pose was twofold: I want to put this special lady "up on a pedestal", and I like the arm recalling the curve of the bridal staircase, giving her graceful support.

While Gillian has classic English beauty and is very perky in character, she is also a grandmother battling cancer.

I agree with the "stiff" problem Marvin mentions and was hoping to overcome this with composition of the elements surrounding her, and paint. If I have enough lost & found edges along the skirt (made possible by the risers in stairs) could that compensate for the basically straight pose?

The client and I looked at photo studies of her decending and decided against this as her skirt is rather thick and somewhat stiff and does not show the form well underneath. Also the detail on the bottom is exquisite gold embroidery reminiscent of her years in China, which we agreed should be included.

The emsemble does have its own jacket which we played with in various positions. However, she was uncomfortable holding anything in her hand, and would never drag it.

I actually preferred a classic seated pose we tried in a flowing skirt, but she thinks, "That looks too much like a French salon." She prefers being depicted "standing on [her own] two feet." A head and shoulders or three-quarter is also out for the same reason. The full-length "socialite" pose won her vote and her husband agrees.

The photo source shows how I used Paintshop to darken part of the actual window before painting my study. What I could add is the sweep of the shelf that forms the corner of this dramatic staircase which would add depth behind her.

There are actually flowers on that shelf as well which could be softly introduced. Maybe I can convince her to hold a small one? Would this be too cliche'?

I simplified the composition in this study to draw more attention to her face and to add a painterly sophistication to the composition. Can this hold up in the large version? (I have been taught that if the big values are right, I can then add additional details within them later for interest.)

OBJECTIVE: I am going for movement around her as she stands to face it all - beautifully!

The color study is next, Marvin. I will post when ready.

Let's see what she thinks today.

Marta Prime · 08-27-2002, 05:21 PM

Jeanine,

I like the underpainting, it will be lovely when you are finished. I look forward to seeing it then.

I don't know if this is going to be another spinoff, but some comments made here have sparked my interest. Is using a pose that has been used by others stealing a composition? It seems to me much of what we do looks similar, but there are times I wonder how far it goes. As an example, my daughter was thumbing through some pictures of paintings that I have and saw one she wanted me to do of her, in a certain pose. It was sitting on a couch, with her long blond hair spreading out over the couch, leaning on her hand, in a white robe. Except for her face, it came out startlingly like the original painting! Now of course, I will never sell or even show this painting, but I have seen others show me a picture of another painting and say they want to be "posed" like this for their painting. Even though the face, background, and even the folds of the material may be different, sometimes just what the person is doing in the pose such as coming down a staircase, or holding someone else's picture, is similar to other paintings. Can a "pose" be copyrighted?

Jeanine Jackson · 08-27-2002, 10:46 PM

No, I did not copy this pose from anyone. It evolved as described above.

No, Marta, you cannot copyright a pose.

I think if a painting is very close to another, it would be appropriate to include "After Artist Name" in your title. Marvin's observations provide an intelligent answer as well.

My client approved the design today and I have begun to add color to this 12" x 6" study.

After a long struggle, the purple here is not as vibrant as the actual skirt which I have borrowed for reference. Maybe this is a good thing?

To be continued.

Michael Fournier · 08-28-2002, 09:10 AM

Wow, I did not know my post would elicit such controversy. My intention was only to help Jeanine with this wonderful piece. I do not think Mr. Sanden would take any offence to a slight reference to his painting; in fact his own work at times is influenced by Sargent's work and the artists that he admires. Jeanine has a difficult task ahead of her for this is a very ambitious composition as any full-length pose can be, as it is difficult to keep the head the focus when it is such a small part of the overall composition. The attire and environment can overpower the portrait if you let it. My reference to Mr. Sanden's work was only to show how another (and rather respected) artist handled a very similar painting and I certainly did not mean to imply that Jeanine was copying or stealing her composition. Many times we are inspired by a painting we have seen without even recognizing it, or fall on a similar pose or composition of another artist simply because our ideas on aesthetics are similar. I brought up a similarity I saw in one of W. Whitaker's paintings to one of my favorite paintings, Vermeer's Girl With a Pearl Earring circa 1665. http://www.WilliamWhitaker.com/B_HTM...re/YngWomn.htm I most certainly did not mean any disrespect to Bill. As it turned out, although Bill did not intend originally to pay homage to Vermeer, he also saw the similarities and acknowledged them on his site. I think that Jeanine could do a lot worse then to be compared to Mr. Sanden, and should even be flattered that she is being compared to such an accomplished artist. But despite that I did not intend and I certainly hope that I did not take anything away from Jeanine's work with my reference.

Good luck, Jeanine, I am sure you have the skill to produce a fine painting and may it turn out to be your finest. In closing, I would like to add a few words of encouragement to all of us. If I may be bold enough to steal a quote from Mr. Sanden's book.

Quote:

Over the years, I've noted certain patterns that govern the progress of art students. Those who approach their work with a total ambition, with no timidity, with confidence and with even a kind of arrogance seem to attain their goal with greater frequency. The three traits that seem to count most are a burning desire, perseverance and a healthy dissatisfaction with everything you've done before, coupled with a urge to do it better the next time.

Now in closing I feel that no matter what stage we are as artists, we are lifetime students of our craft and we continue to grow so the words in this quote are good words by which to live our life as artists.

Marta Prime · 08-28-2002, 03:30 PM

Just for clarification, I didn't mean to infer that Jeanine was copying or anything of the sort. On the contrary, the "coming down the stairs" painting is a classic. I know you can copy the Masters paintings until the cows come home. I was really more concerned about using a pose similar to a painting by another artist of our time. In some cases, I don't even think we realize that something is similar. I mean, there are only so many ways the human form can appear. I'd hate to have to resort to painting someone swinging from a chandelier just to be totally different!

Jeanine Jackson · 10-17-2002, 08:48 PM

She's back!

After two weeks abroad, and two weeks recouperating, I have begun the underpainting.

I intentionally started out with a dark umber wash before wiping back so as to leave lots of room to move values up on the figure and really have her stand out.

Maybe I overdid it? Do you think the entire painting should be lighter to begin with before I start adding color?

I'm getting used to it, so it's hard to tell!

All comments are valued.