Katie, from life

Elizabeth Schott · 02-16-2003, 10:42 PM

This is the almost completed portrait of the young lady I talked about in the thread:
When do we NOT see?

It is 16 x 12 inches, oil on linen. The sitting time was about 20 hours.

To solve the problem of body image, I put her in a "Scarlet O'Hare" cut top with scarf. I need to have her sit again so I can fine tune her shoulder since we didn't have it uncovered at first.

I believe her hand still needs more detail, and am questioning if I should add the necklace (or one to fit the dress) that she was wearing, or leave the neckline bare.

Thanks for your input.
edited to post better image, I am not sure if you need to "refresh" the page on your browser.

Elizabeth Schott · 02-16-2003, 10:45 PM

Once again I apologize for the glare and slight distortion. I think it is going to take even longer to figure out how to photograph oils than paint them - I wish!

Here is the close up of her face.
editied to post better image, which took care of glare, but not distortion.

Josef Sy · 02-17-2003, 11:36 AM

Beth,

This is a very lovely piece. I like the colors you've picked, too, except for the green on the dress. I find it is a bit to saturated. But then the painting is not finished yet.

I also like the work on her hair. Very nice.

Michele Rushworth · 02-17-2003, 12:01 PM

Beth, the eye on our right seems to be turning in a bit too far and giving her a cross-eyed look. Also the right nostril seems quite a bit smaller than the one on our left.

I also feel that the hair is a bit too tousled looking. Some larger soft masses with just a few strands might work better. It would look less tangled.

I think having her wear a necklace would be a good idea. That would give a reason for her hand gesture.

I think the painting would be stronger if you made the back of the chair one solid color. As it is, it looks too informal for the occasion and all those colors are distracting.

I can't imagine she'd have a problem with the way her body looks in this image. She looks fine.

Nice job!

Enzie Shahmiri · 02-17-2003, 12:06 PM

Beth,

I think you solved the problem of her being heavy, but built nicely. I especially like the way you painted the hand and would add a small necklace. I would use a very thin chain with maybe a small pendant, no bigger than the shadow that is already there.

The way her finger is pointed makes me look for something that it not there and I feel that the addition of a small necklace solves that problem. Her toying with it would also add to her youthful charm.

Gina Rath · 02-17-2003, 01:19 PM

Beth,

I really like this portrait and the suggestion that Enzie made about Katie toying with a necklace sounds perfect. I like the tousled hair, I think you kept the value in her hair as well as in her face. I have to agree that her right eye that Michele mentioned could be adjusted a bit.

Just a few philosophical thoughts I have on your interesting model (yes, I'm getting philosophical as I sit iced into my old Ky. home). In my humble opinion, this painting has turned into a threshold portrait; a teenager stepping into womanhood. Her tousled hair but more formal dress, as well as the soft youthful roundness of her face but more mature penetrating eyes and full lips are what indicates this to me. Thus, toying with the necklace, toying with womanhood. I know, enough rambling.

Immersing yourself in art 24/7 is paying off. Good job!

Elizabeth Schott · 02-17-2003, 01:55 PM

A quick thank you to you all! I'll come back and give this more attention.

A side note, not meant as an excuse: they "eye" of concern is a "lazy" eye which we had to keep from fading all together - I'll take a better look at that too.

Steven Sweeney · 02-17-2003, 08:25 PM

Beth,

Just a couple of quick notes. One of the first things that caught my eye was the relatively hard edge on the (our) left side of the neck. I'd let that soften and recede a bit as it drops. As is, it appears that the "column" of the neck is grounded somewhere forward of her shoulders. This is all the more pronounced by the quite dark halftones in the collarbone area to our left of her fingertip. Lighten that area up on the lighted side of the neck.

The trapezius muscles on either side of the neck are uneven, and this is not "explained" by any drop or other gesture in the far shoulder. It's too short a distance for perspective to be having that effect. Have another look at that.

Elizabeth Schott · 02-19-2003, 01:05 PM

I wanted to post my progress and thank you for all of your help.

The dress is loosely based on one of Sargent

Elizabeth Schott · 02-19-2003, 01:07 PM

Here is a close up of the face.

I based the jewelry on a treasured ring of mine that my grandmother gave my mom when she was sixteen.