Second sibling portrait

Virginia Branch · 03-24-2003, 06:06 PM

This is a portrait I finally completed. It is oil, 20 x 16 inches, and will be hung next to the portrait I did of his brother (I'll post the brother). I am waiting to hear what the client thinks as I just e-mailed a photo of it.

I am open for suggestions so fire away. Overall, I am pleased with it but my life is so hectic right now that my heart and soul just weren't into it.

Virginia Branch · 03-24-2003, 06:15 PM

Meant to post this portrait here but started a new thread before I realized it wasn't on this.

So, here I go again. The portrait of the brother that will hang next to the above.

Leslie Ficcaglia · 03-25-2003, 04:45 PM

Virginia, this is charming and I like his face even better than I liked the other one. Nice flesh tones and treatment of the hair, and his expression really looks alive. My only suggestion would be to widen the blue V of the vest a bit more at the bottom so that the direction of the arms and the V don't pull your eye downward and out of the picture. I think I would square the bottom of the V more and bring the arms out just a little to avoid that effect, and so that he doesn't appear to be squeezing his lower torso.

I'll bet the client adores it.

Virginia Branch · 03-26-2003, 09:25 AM

Thanks for the suggestion, Leslie. I see what you mean. He was actually sitting that way with his arms crossed at his wrists. I do want to go back and soften some of the edges on his sweater and do a few other things.

The client has seen it and is pleased, thank goodness.

Thanks again for responding. I've been terrible lately at responding to other people's postings.

Leslie Ficcaglia · 03-26-2003, 09:50 AM

Virginia, I assumed that he was sitting that way, but without seeing the rest of his body it was hard to tell just what he was doing with his arms and hands and it did suggest a "squeezed" appearance. I'm not surprised that your client loved it; his expression is wonderful.

Jeanine Jackson · 04-05-2003, 11:54 AM

Thank you so much for posting these wondeful portraits that will surely work well hung together or individually. I have a potential client with three children and I am trying to make a case for similar yet separate portraits versus one large all-together painting. Your work clearly illustrates how nicely this can work.

Leslie Ficcaglia · 04-05-2003, 12:24 PM

One excellent argument for three separate paintings, which most people don't consider, is that it allows each subject to have his portrait eventually. There can be a real battle over the ownership of the painting when the parents die, although people don't always like to think that far ahead.

Elizabeth Schott · 04-05-2003, 11:50 PM

Virginia, personal preference for me, but I like the background you did on the first (older) one better. It seems to be more thought-out, the new one's background...

Quote:

my heart and soul just weren't into it.

There also seems to be a ghosting image behind him, which I don

Virginia Branch · 04-06-2003, 11:06 AM

Thanks all.

Elizabeth - I didn't like the strokes in the background either and have since worked on the background and a few other things that were bothering me. I put the paintings side by side and worked on it that way.

The client is happy with it (I am so relieved) so it will soon be varnished and mailed.