The Bridal Shop

Jeanine Jackson · 07-29-2003, 09:06 AM

30 x 24 Oil on Canvas. Your valuable comments are welcome before I add GamVar and frame.

Very best,
Jeanine Jackson

Jeanine Jackson · 07-29-2003, 09:10 AM

Detail of head.

Kindly note, bright glare on mirror in full-size image is not on the original.

Mike Dodson · 07-29-2003, 10:30 AM

Jeanine,

I really like the composition and overall mood that this painting creates with th cool colors you have. Great hands too by the way.

The only thing I would work on would be the edges in a couple of areas, particularly along the train of her dress located at the bottom of the painting, it appears to be a bit sharp and distracting. I would also soften the edge of her hair behind her neck as you did on the upper portion of her head.

Nice work!

Steven Sweeney · 07-29-2003, 11:29 AM

Hi, Jeanine,

I

Jeanine Jackson · 07-29-2003, 01:48 PM

Thank you so much for the awesome comments. Here are the results from what I understood. Better?

Jeanine Jackson · 07-29-2003, 01:51 PM

Detail.

Steven Sweeney · 07-29-2003, 06:12 PM

Jeanine, I

07-29-2003, 08:45 PM

Hello, let me preface this by saying I hope I'm not intruding, being newly joined and all. So, with that, a few thoughts -

- I very much like the modeling on her right hand. The gesture is relaxed yet elegant. I wonder if the thumb and forefinger aren't a bit long. But it's is very nearly a focal point, and nicely done.

- Her far arm is a little bit flat.

- The accents on her forehead on near (right) shoulder are truly lovely.

- I agree with all previous comments about lost edges and the mysterious rising up of the far edge of the train of the dress, and the color of the carpet though I admit the carpet didn't trouble me so much, because as long as the background is adept, I usually let the figure dominate me head.

So, when I thought to myself that I liked the highlights, it made me think about the overall presentation of the painting. Why is she in shadow? Why is the room dimly lit? The historical symbolism is of doubt, a bad omen, or even impending adultery. But, I don't get this sense from the rest of the painting (I mean, I could make a case for it, with her image in the mirrow and no window in sight, but that would be terribly argumentative of me, right?).

Then I re-imagined this as a morning scene, with a happy day just dawning, which matches her innocent yet frankly pleased expression. If it were a morning scene, we would have overall shadow with a few dramatic highlights on the dress, forehead, arm/hand, and shoulder. These would be glowing, hot yellow/orange lights, like a Carravaggio. And this kind of sparkle or sheen would add optimism, etc, as well as fixing the problem of the floating train, because we would have an advancing countour that would describe the rest of the dress as receding. Perhaps a trapezoid of light falling on the carpet in front of the dress?

You've done a great job of creating ambient light and shadow, but I think some selected cast light (not necessarily what I've described here of course), might be nifty.

Humbly
Lisa

Jeanine Jackson · 07-29-2003, 10:55 PM

Dear Mike, Steven and Lisa:

Your time and eloquent recommendations are highly regarded much appreciated.

My digital did not capture the degree of change I see in the modifications made thus far. The figure stands out much more now from the background lighter-on-shadow-side/darker-on right side. Her left eye is more rounded and the corner dropped a tad.

Those were executed fairly quickly as I agreed wholeheartedly! I shall study my next moves judiciously.

Thank you!
Jeanine