Breaking the rules

Elizabeth Schott · 04-10-2003, 11:04 PM

I guess I am really breaking the rules with this one. The reference is really bad so I won't even post it. I know you are saying, "Haven't you learned not to use bad reference?", but this is more a memory than a piece of art.

This is one of my daughter's best friends, Kallie. These photos were taken the night of Gwen's "first formal". We all met at Kallie's house so her mom, who is the older woman, could see the kids dressed up.

She was buried today, it was all very sad. I think this was my therapy and would bring more joy to the family than flowers, even though it may have technical art problems.

I would like it to look as nice as possible, so if any one has any comments or suggestions, please bring them on.

This portrait is NOT finished some things have not been rendered at all.

Thanks!

Elizabeth Schott · 04-10-2003, 11:05 PM

The size is 14" x 12" on Wallis paper.

Here is the close-up.

Margaret Port · 04-11-2003, 07:50 AM

Beth, was it the mom or the daughter who died?

I think the mom looks a bit sad, or even a bit disapproving at this stage, which could be a bit of a concern for the family. It is difficult to do something like this but it will be very much appreciated over time. Perhaps you could make it all a little blurrier or softer to create some dialogue between them.

Now, don't go and brush it all off like Jean did when I commented. I'm just being helpful

Elizabeth Schott · 04-11-2003, 08:27 AM

Margaret, thanks for your input, trust me I don't have Jean's nimble touch to keep brushing!

I should have been clearer, but it was late. Colleen, the mother, died. She was diagnosed with breast cancer 6 years ago and went into remission, then they discovered a little over a year ago that it had moved into her bones and brain.

I will post the only photo I have to work from. It was an impulse to do this, so I didn't want to go to the family. My daughter is the one sitting by her in this so I had to put Kallie in.

Worst case scenario, I know. Her look is about all she could muster, I believe, as this photo is only 6 weeks old.

Thanks!

Elizabeth Schott · 04-11-2003, 08:33 AM

Just so you don't have to open two browsers:

Linda Nelson · 04-11-2003, 08:48 AM

HI Elizabeth,

I congratulate you for going ahead with this project despite the lack of "good" reference photography - it's certainly worth it, as I'm sure it will be very cherished and very healing.

Not to make you job more difficult, but I would try to put a small smile on the mother's face. Nothing more than turning the corners up. Of course smiling, even a bit, alters the whole face. The mouth gets wider, the cheeks changes and of course the eyes so to. But in this case I don't think you'd need to worry about the eyes, just the mouth and cheek.

I'm sure this is certainly an elective thing to to on your part, and I only suggest it due to the context of the painting (the daughter is smiling, so the mother shouldn't look too serious.

Moreover, since the mother has passed away, it would be nice for the daughter to look at this painting as see a mother's encouraging look of pride and satisfaction.

I hope this helps, and I'm sorry for your daughter's friend's loss.

Good Luck,
Linda

Steven Sweeney · 04-11-2003, 09:36 AM

Beth, you'll work this out as you always do, but just in passing by and looking at the side-by-side images of the mother, I think that the somewhat "disapproving" look in the painting comes from a subtle but significant change in the shape of the upper lip.

From the middle of the lip to the the corner of the mouth on our right, the painting's version rather rises in a convex arc that presents somewhat of a "sneering" look, and the lip shape and color remain very strong right out to the corner of the mouth. That, coupled with the slightly too-strong definition in the small part of the lip to our left of middle, creates kind of a "beaked" lip. In the photo, I see a more level or even slightly concave edge, with the mouth features softening substantially as we approach the corner of the mouth on our right and also immediately as we move to our left from the center of the upper lip.

While here, I'll just note that I think I'd lower the values (no matter what the photo "says") on the neck, especially below the chin, as hitting that area with light exaggerates a bit the fleshiness in that area, in a kind of unattractive way. To the same effect, watch the neckline of the shirt. In the photo it begins to level out and rise just under the chin. In the painting, this turn doesn't begin until somewhere under the temple. That's contributing too to the "fleshy" look that, while there to some extent in nature, is being accentuated rather than downplayed in the painting.

Elizabeth Schott · 04-11-2003, 03:10 PM

Thank you all for your input. Hopefully I have incorporated your suggestions.

Steven when I really played down her neckline, it took a lot of her likeness away. So hopefully what I have done here, may distract the eye or play it down enough.

I'll tell you Linda, that little smile had me cursing all day!

Hopefully it works!

Here is today's progress:

Elizabeth Schott · 04-11-2003, 03:12 PM

Isn't it amazing how much mistakes jump off the screen at you, especially when you put them side to side?

Here is the close-up:

Elizabeth Schott · 04-14-2003, 10:04 AM

Color is not very rich on these last two digitals. But from the lack of response, does this impressionistic scarf do this in?