Quick sketch of Camille

[Julie Deane]

What a lovely photograph you are working from, Jan! I can see why you were drawn to it. This might be fun for you to work with in several ways:

1. a study in black and white, maybe charcoal. I find that I do my best work after doing some studies. This gives me a chance to really get to know the person's physical features before adding the complexities of paint and color.
2. Oils, but on a canvas, so that you can play with it and not be in danger of damaging the substrate.

I'll look forward to seeing more of your work in the future.

And thanks for the compliment. It's mainly due to the critiques received on this forum that I can see progress in my own work. Stick around and you'll see what I mean. It's been fun seeing others take giant leaps forward,.
Julie

[Allan Rahbek]

Jan,
I like your portrait of Camille, the assistant and mistress of Rodin, and think that you have got a striking likeness. I also like your color choice.

If you want to take it farther I would suggest to work on the shadow side of the face by darkening the general tone and marking the chin features.

I like very much the way you simplify, or summarize, the details like the hair and the dress, the way you draw with a full brush - very mature. But I think that the painting could be better if you would take the features to a more sculptural level.

Allan

[Chris Saper]

Dear Jan,

As Open Studio is for works painted from life, I have moved your thread here. I love what you have going on and look forward to more.

[Jan Verhulst]

Thanks Julie. It is a good idea to do a black and white study because the photo has a small value-range (almost only black and white) and I can't improved it by photoshop manipulation.
Thanks for your reaction and feedback Allan. Your remarks are very useful for me.
Sorry Chris, I was not aware that I posted in the wrong sub forum
Regards
Jan