Oliver

[Enzie Shahmiri]

This is Oliver 16"x20" Oil on Canvas. The painting was done from a favorite photograph of the client of her boyfriend. I am glad to be done with this commission, because it created many challenges, especially the foliage.

[Chris Saper]

Dear Enzie,

It is so nice to see you online!I really like your daring and successful composition. I very much like the way you have handled your values. (I have one little thought about the vine that echoes the forehead..) I am sure your subject was thrilled!

Your work is moving forward by leaps and bounds! Thanks for posting-.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Dear Chris,

I wish I could agree with you about moving forward in leaps and bounds, but it is more like a battle with every painting. Progress is very hard earned and not necessarily a given with each painting.

This piece was indeed a study in values. Oliver is a very fair skinned person, with very light eyebrows and light lashes. Then there was the receding hairline and a forehead bathed in sunlight with the subject being in front of a much darker background. I felt like I was stuck in value ranges 10 through 5 (Munsell).

The cut out forehead was bothering me and when I saw your comment about the vine, I just had to make some adjustments. I made the leaves a bit larger in the background and toned down the vine. Hopefully this looks better now.

It was very kind of you to comment and point the vine out. Thank you!

[Chris Saper]

Dear Enzie,

I don't mean to ever say that every painting isn't an enormous struggle - you are right. There is always a point at which we say "What was I thinking?! I can't do this." It happens to me every time as well.
I only mean to say that I just see your work a couple of times per year, so I don't see the daily struggle. But I do appreciate the results.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Dear Chris,

You know, I always appreciate your comments. Remember "Steve Erkle" , the geeky kid with the huge glasses? When he would mess up, he would say: " Did I do that?" and then look around himself totally perplexed.

That's how I often feel! Totally perlpexed at the glaring errors, looking around as if to say:" Hey, I know better, who touched this?!

The thing I appreciate most about portraiture is that it is very demanding. You can never let your guard down and that keeps me very humble. I once read about an artist, who was caught crying infront of his own painting. When asked what the matter was, he said something like, he can't find anything wrong. Basically he had reached the pinnacle of his artistic growth.

I guess so long as there are struggles, there is room to learn and time to find delight in every compliment given towards the hard earned, little success.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Enzie,

In this piece I feel there's been a successful "partnership" between the reference and your technique. The value relationships are relatively subtle, and the textures are interesting. I especially like the way his skin looks so smooth next to the leaves, and the ivy has that mysterious, lush, ivy-ish look.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Thank you Alexandra!

[Tom Edgerton]

Enzie,

Very nice! I especially like the assymmetry in the composition, and the way the background movement balances the weight of the figure.

I tried painting some ivy a while ago, and the result was pretty sad... I commend you for your pluck!

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Dear Tom,

Thank you for your nice comments. The ivy was a first for me as well. There was the constant worry how to make it read like ivy, but not have it take over the painting.

[Michele Rushworth]

Chris wrote:

. I very much like the way you have handled your values.

My thoughts exactly. You've come a long way and I particularly like your asymmetrical composition on this one.