A little experiment

[Leslie Bohoss]

Hello!

Karin Wells said to do copies from the Old Masters. W. Bouguereau isn't so Old, but brilliant.

Well, here is my second picture. Title: The Prayer. (Very lovely baby.) I experimented with Verdaccio underpainting. Dimensions are 6cm x 6cm (or 2.36" x 2.36") on acrylic base coat. (Yes, that is my fingernail. )

Painted with #000 (and a few hairs pulled out), #00 ,#0 ,#2 sable brushes and thick paint direct from the tube. Okay, I have no practice, therefore found it extremely difficult (particularly the eyes!)

This was done without tracing.

How can I keep the surface smooth?
Does anybody have experience with miniatures?
Does anybody know what palette he used?

The reference picture is here:
http://www.artrenewal.org/images/art.../La_priere.jpg

I printed out a piece with slightly more brightness because there are more details on the right (dark) side.

This digicam macroshot isn't perfect (yellows on the hair -- why?).

Any comments are welcome.

[Michael Georges]

Leslie:

WOW! Bouguereau in miniature! You did an admirable job especially considering the size.

I did some study of miniature portraits before I went to Charleston, South Carolina where they have a museum with a miniature portrait collection.

The collection was unbelievably detailed and just lovely stuff. Most were painted on ivory.

This is a very interesting course of study if you decide to pursue it further. As to keeping your paint layer smooth, you need to work with a medium that levels the strokes, and you can very very lightly sand (yes, sand) your piece between coats to take off any proud spots or strokes that stand up too much. Use a wet sandpaper that is good for automotive - 600 grit. Again, you will want to be careful not to sand too deep, but it will help to keep your surface quite smooth.

As for a surface to paint miniatures on, may I recommend ABS plastic (yes, I said ABS plastic). Sunlight is the only thing that kills it - cover it with paint and you are good for 1000 years. If you get it at about 1/6 inch thickness, and then sand the shiny side to remove the gloss, you will get a surface that is a lot like ivory. Since ABS is microporous, oils will stick with no problem, and your sanding the surface will further help by creating a mechanical bond.

Good luck and a real nice beginning!

[Leslie Bohoss]

Thank you for your kind reply. It is an interesting field, just not simple.

As to the surface: I found this material in our electronic lab. I can't say what is it, but in any case, a kind of layered, pressed plastic (used for isolation). I think it is not microporous, therefore I coated with white acrylic, 4 or 5 layers. After this, I used sandpaper (400 grit) to smooth. But the main problem is afterward, during the painting. With a few hairs (i.e., #000) the brush "scrapes" in the layer underneath. A fully loaded tiny brush is hard to control, but too little "takes off" the paint from the canvas.

Solution may be -- as you say -- a medium. What am I supposed to use? I have : Liquin, Venice turpentine, black oil, normal Medium 1 and 2, Oil of Delft, Old Spain Medium (by the way, what is it? Legend said: Ready to use medium -- oil painting.) Old Medium -- the best painting medium since the 18th century. Artistic by Jordi Reixach. The processing of the linseed oil allows a multi-layer painting without having to consider the drying time of the individual layer. Mixed with 50% balsam turpentine. Warning: content lead! Yellow fluid, viscosity like water. Drying time approximately 1 day. Is this a kind of Maroger, perhaps?)

Well, I feel it became better, as the first likeness. I estimate it's about 80-90%. I'm still not happy with it.

I found this about skintones:

Sanden's Palette

Weber plus an assortment of Pro-Mix colors:

Permalba white (by Weber)
Cad orange
Yellow ochre chromium verde green
Burnt sienna
Viridian
Burnt umber
Cerulean blue
Venetian red
Ult blue
Aliz crim
Ivory black
Cad red light
Plus ten Pro Mix colors

Mixtures:

Caucasian Skin: white, yellow ochre, cad red Light, plus a touch of cerulean blue

Black Skin: viridian red, cad orange, and burnt sienna for the middle tones, combined with cool highlights and warm tones.

Oriental Skin: white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, plus a touch of blue.

This makes excellent human skin:

Monotone underpainting -- violet is good. Terre verde over dried monotone lead white mixed with genuine vermillion, a transparent yellow for accent last.

Done correctly, these are all the colors you need.
The trick is to use the underpainted green to make your flesh go neutral. It's like magic.

I think green will correct the orange hue (complementary color). Bouguereau`s skin has relatively much white.

Now, we will see.

Best wishes,
Leslie

[Leslie Bohoss]

Hello again,

It just occurred to me, that if I use a medium for miniatures, the paint becomes thinner.
Karin Wells wrote that as to my first picture, my underpainting was too thin. (She was right). How can I make both (medium for better control and thick paints)?

To Michael,

My material is RESITEX. I have aluminium, copper and ABS of course. What is with Acrylglas (polymer, plexi or macrolon) for miniatures?

Did you finish your picture with the three girls in the forest (Fairies)?

How much time can I still regard as normal, for a portrait (in particular the underpainting) ?
John Sheppard's book wrote about 3 or 4 hours for a sitting. His nude on bed (a la Rembrandt) took 9 hours, but alla prima. What is normal?

To Chris Saper,

I see your "fine tuning" always. Thank you for your help (translating)?

For my 3rd project, here is the reference picture:
http://www.chrissaper.com/chris.jpg or this, as a miniature: http://www.chrissaper.com/chris_old.jpg

No joke! I must still practice a lot in any case.

P.S. Regarding Sanden's palette and mixtures, I would like to try them, but I still have not.

P.P.S. Hey! Why doesn't anybody tell me: "You seem very encouraged, but think about finding another waste of time?"

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Leslie,

I enjoyed reading your posts. I wonder what made you decide to try your hand at miniatures? I have studied miniatures a bit, too, but I have never attempted one. You are an inspiration! I would love to see some more of your work.

I enjoy copying the masters too. I lived in Holland for 2 years and studied portraiture there. I learned so much. Are you studying with anyone in Germany?

Kind regards,
Joan

[Leslie Bohoss]

Hi, Joan!

Thank you for your reply. I have a fulltime job (now and then very fulltime). I'm unable to study with a teacher or in a class. I have time only at night or on weekends.

I would love to see some more of your work.

I have almost nothing. This is my second attempt, the first being Alessia (see in the Oil Critique section). I have never painted or done drawing before, except a few landscapes, a la Bob Ross, last December. But, I like more dimensionality. Action or faces. (My job is 3D animation with computer.)

Last summer, I ordered a few books in English and in German, that's all.

Last but not least: I copied almost the whole Forum here. But I have not translated everything yet!

There are other net resources, of course. I collected ALL of this. I know one cannot replace a correct live course, but what can I do?

Where did I get this idea for miniatures? I found a little book, Elizabeth [W?], "Miniature Painting." I haven't seen a miniature in real life, but in the fascinating photos in this book, they look like little jewels. I must practice in any case, so why not with this?

However, it is a really challenge for me. This piece is still without glazing. The third project is my wife, to keep the family peace. I said to her: I cannot paint, but there's nothing to do now, she bought the frame, already!

Best wishes to Holland.

Leslie