What do you think?

Denise Racine · 03-13-2003, 11:13 PM

Because most of this model's face is in the shadow area I wonder if painting from picture could be a problem...What do you think?

Leslie Ficcaglia · 03-14-2003, 04:20 PM

Denise,

Personally I think that's a lovely photo; it's very sharp and clear and gives you a lot of information. The expression on her face is wonderful. It might be better if there were more of a value range in the face but I would definitely paint from it, possibly pushing the contrast slightly where I had enough information. On the other hand, I've been known to work from photos that others wouldn't use and I think the challenge is fun.

You have a great model there and I'd like to see what you do with her.

Leslie

Steven Sweeney · 03-15-2003, 03:53 AM

Denise, you'll want to take into account the way an area of sudden and substantial contrast in values will tend to become the focal point of the painting. Squinting at this photo gives you an idea of what the painting will look like from across the room, and it tends to "read" as a large dark space with a very bright shape down in the lower left-hand corner. Your work on the face would have to compete very very hard to counter the visual pull of that light shape.

Just something to consider.

Leslie Ficcaglia · 03-15-2003, 09:20 AM

That's a good point, Steven. I had actually assumed that she would tone down that contrast so that the sunlit shoulder didn't catch the eye to that extent.

Chris Saper · 03-15-2003, 07:54 PM

Denise,

It's a lovely photo, and I agree that you ought not deal with the strong light on her shoulder (unless you can get another photo with her moved forward just a few inches, so that the strong light catches the edge of the cheek and hair).

If I were you I'd try this:

Assume you will paint the shoulder in shadow, same as the value of the skin in her face.

Then take the photo and place it right up next to a light bulb, so the light is coming through the back of the photo image, and see if there is enough information in her face to paint a subtle, modeled portrait. I can see there is a little value differention even on my monitor, and you may have much more information in the photo itself.

You can use temperature shifts to explore the form in the face, even though there wont be strong value changes.

Kirk Richards · 03-15-2003, 09:54 PM

Here is a great example of a similar effect executed from life.

It is by a turn of the century Boston painter named Gretchen Rogers.

Kirk

http://www.tfaoi.com/am/16am/16am65.jpg

Mari DeRuntz · 04-22-2003, 11:52 AM

Kirk,
Thank you for that link to TFAOI - it's an incredible research portal.

Denise,
I'm curious to see whether you tackled this one.

Denise Racine · 04-22-2003, 05:44 PM

Thanks to all of you for your comments and advice.

Here she is so far... Up till now I have painted from the photo. Next week she will be visiting me for a final live session so I can give the painting a more natural look.

I'll post the finished painting after the last strokes.

P.S. Sorry about the glare on the bottom right side of the .jpeg

Enzie Shahmiri · 04-22-2003, 06:48 PM

Hi Denise,

Your painting is coming along very nicely. I noticed two things that you might to check again. Take a look at her forehead, compared to the resource photo. I see her forehead to be longer than what you have and more rounded out (our right).

Her left cheek needs more fullness as well. Your painting shows her thinner in the face than she really is.

I love the color you have achieved and with a tiny bit of tweeking it will surely be just like her.

Jean Kelly · 04-22-2003, 11:40 PM

I'm looking forward to seeing this completed.

Jean