Fairy Kaitlyn

Susan Ballinger · 05-25-2006, 01:43 AM

This is my daughter, Kaitlyn. She has been a most willing subject when it comes to taking pictures- I look forward to when she is old enough to actually sit still for a portrait from life. I know that fantasy doesn't generally fit in with traditional portraiture so I hope this is acceptable. It is an oil 18x24. I had a difficult time trying to make it look like her eyes are a bit open. I think they look closed in the painting but slightly open in the photo.
Any thoughts overall?

Thanks!
Susan Meierotto

Mischa Milosevic · 05-25-2006, 10:44 AM

Susan, you have a beautiful subject. Such delicate skin tones and hair. I have a number of things to suggest. So, please be patient with me.

I hope you wont mind that I used your reference photo to make visual suggestions. Instruction with only words at a distance is quite difficult.

What I have done is started a even ton on the forehead. This you would do for the entire face. Use a ton value and color that you think appropriate. Face in light has a slight difference of ton change but the change is most noticeable in the peak of the high light, the cheek. More precisely back from the cheek. Still the change is slight compared to the general skin value and hue. Remember the hair is where the light is the strongest and everything from there down the light diminishes.

While you are thinking about all of this there is some drawing adjustments to consider the shape and size of the ear, the length shape of the chin and nose, her top lip at the point, the angle of the moth, forehead.

First place to start is the general value and hue of the face, hair neck. Then using that same appropriate value correct the drawing. Remember the most important part, the relation of values is what makes the painting work and not the color u use.

I hope this helps.
Sincerely yours,

mischa

Susan Ballinger · 05-25-2006, 07:06 PM

Thanks Mischa for all the effort put into your critique! I do appreciate it. I'll get to work on those improvements. After I had posted the painting and photo I could see a few things that hadn't been evident to me before then. I know the mouth is at a different angle than the photo, but I thought it looked too sad otherwise. She has such a solemn expression. My family and friends love the painting as it is, but how often do I get honest criticism from them? They're just impressed because they aren't artists.

Susan