Next portrait

Patricia Joyce · 06-17-2004, 11:11 AM

I just completed (almost!) a portrait of my daughter-in-law which you can see in drawing critiques. My next project is a portrait of my son to complete the pair. Here are the ref shots I have chosen from about 75 photos.

Thanks for looking

Patricia Joyce · 06-17-2004, 11:15 AM

I really like the first photograph because it includes his trombone, however, I think if I did this one his head would have to be smaller than Christine's and the pair wouldn't make a good pair (or would they?). I definately am saving this one for a painting some day!!!

Not as crazy about no 2 and 3, but out of those I think I am leaning towards #3.

I also like this one, however I don't like the hand. This is a very familiar Kris gesture when he is in conversation, but for a portrait? I love his eyes in this one though! Do you think I could take out the hand? The lighting and his pose are very similar to the one I chose for Christine's portrait.

Chuck Yokota · 06-17-2004, 02:26 PM

Hi Pat,

My one suggestion in considering the two portraits as a pair is that they might look more unified with the poses mirrored rather than pointed in the same direction.

Patricia Joyce · 06-17-2004, 02:53 PM

Oh Chuck, I didn't even think about that. What else should I consider when doing a pair of portraits? I am completely inexperienced!! And I know I can get Kris to sit for more photos, and for live sittings.

Michele Rushworth · 06-17-2004, 06:19 PM

I would strongly recommend against taking out the hand and trying to invent the lighting and forms that are behind it (chin, neck, collar, etc). That would be an invitation for major headaches and greatly increasing the likelihood that you will be unhappy with the result, in my opinion.

I agree with you that including his trombone would take away from the idea that these are meant to be matching portraits, and I agree with Chuck's suggestion that they be facing each other. When it comes time to paint your son with his trombone I would include more of it so we know what it is. Looks like some mystery brass instrument to my musically uneducated eye, right now.

Of the two remaining photos I like the one with greater contrast between light and dark sides of his face.

Steven Sweeney · 06-17-2004, 10:09 PM

No recommendation as to whether you should do this, just tossing into the mix the fact that you can flip these in Photoshop to change the orientation as suggested above.

In this case, it also flips the light source, but perhaps that appearance of their both being lit from a common light source (between them) would not be undesirable.