Latest Commission

[Renee Brown]

What better time to ask for comments than halfway through?


Here we go with the lighting again. I am posting the one that may be darker but shows the colors I used best. Any suggestions will be appreciated.


Chris Sapers' book has been my reference guide and another artist just bought her book based on my recommending it.

I am working dark to light, so still more color work on the skintones to go.

Renee

[Renee Brown]

This commission is for the boy's mother on her birthday. The mom will see this in progress for the first time, this coming week. So, I roughed in the hands and sweaters so she can at least see where it is heading. The dad ( the client) is very happy so far even though I consider this only half finished with plenty of refining coming up.

Renee

[Renee Brown]

This commission is heading into it's final stages now. The parents are very happy with it. I'd appreciate any portrait artists' (or landscape for the beach background; the lights are obliterating part of the background) input now as it winds down.

Thanks,
Renee

[Lon Haverly]

Well, if the client is happy, you are nearly done!

This painting is low in contrast, and in shadow. That can be a good thing. When you are a low contrast painter, there is a conflict when dealing with depth, as in this background. The background looks a little flat, or lacking depth. Perhaps you can create an area in the sand which looks wet - by darkening the sand along the water line, or toward the bottom of the painting. Or perhaps something in the background to give a sense of size, like a log in the sand, or something. If you had not told me that there was a beach behind, I would not have known.

I have completely redone backgrounds on many paintings until they were right. But if the client is happy, that may be a mistake in itself.

[Renee Brown]

Lon, Thank you.

I had the same thought about the background being a bit of a blah, but at a loss as to how to resolve a stretch of uninteresting sand and little surf, while at the same time not taking away from the boys as the center of interest. Hesitant as well to throw an object (like your suggestion of a log, or a beach blanket, etc.) back there to distract the eye.

I reworked the colors in the sand several times, and I am not finished with it yet. I had a darker shading around surf/sand connection, as you suggested, so perhaps I will go back in there and dramatize that a bit.

It's so interesting now, that in the final stages, each days work brings the skintones more to life. I figure I am near the end but with a lot of finishing left to do. No time rush on this one. I think this stage is where the most improvement happens, though it may not be as dramatic to the laymen's eye.

Plus, I used Peggy Baumgartner's contract that she posted and the financial end of the three payments stretched out over the period of the work, went as smoothly as a charm. There's nothing like a signature on a contract with payments spelled out clearly. Makes the road a lot easier.

Renee

[Lon Haverly]

I still don't recognize beach. This is what I would expect to see.

[Renee Brown]

Lon, Hi. Gee, I am sorry. I haven't been back here for a couple of weeks!

I like very much what you did with the beach. You know I am trying to keep the whole background subtle, and actually I had added a bit of violet on the edge of the sand and sea.

The painting will be viewed by the parents tomorrow for the first time ( although two thirds of the fee has already been paid). They have watched the entire process over the internet, which is so helpful to me.

I told them anything more than an impression of the beach would be more money ( typical charge for complicated backgrounds) and it was their choice to not go for that, so I am not too worried about the details in the waves, etc..

Thanks for taking the time to digitally work on the painting.

It got a spray of retouch varnish today and the surface is cohesive now. It looks good to me now.

Renee



Thanks for taking the time

[Lon Haverly]

Congratulations Renee on a nice job, and a nice commission!