Parents-in-law

Joan Breckwoldt · 06-28-2004, 09:57 AM

Hi Kim,

I think this is a lovely photo, their personalities really shine. I like the way the light falls on their faces too!

I think you should omit that vertical post behind them, you probably already know that.

She's 84? Wow, she looks fantastic. She looks great just as she is, but I know how sensitive people are about their weight. It's a tough call, you change them too much and they don't look like themselves, don't you think? I've read some about this on the forum and I find it interesting. But, you do have to please the client. The only place I think might present a challenge is your mother-in-laws right cheek/jowl (as we view her). Maybe you could darken that to make that part less prominent, I don't know, it'll be interesting to see how you handle that, I know you'll come up with a great solution. Do you see where I mean? She may feel like that chin/jowl makes her look fat.

Again, great photo and this is a lovely photo. Get to work!

Joan

P.S. I didn't even notice his leg was thin at all. He just looks like a tall slender man.

Joan Breckwoldt · 06-28-2004, 10:06 AM

Me again. I have been thinking about that black dress she is wearing and it might be too busy. Some might say you could make it solid but then you would have a large black mass in the middle of your painting. I would suggest you play down the print so it's hardly noticable. You could enlarge the print so it's not such a tiny detailed print.

I was recently in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts thanks to a suggestion by Sharon Knettell (thank you Sharon) and on display was John Singer Sargent's painting of the four sisters with those huge blue and white vases. Well, next to the painting were the ACTUAL vases. They're about 6 feet tall. When I first saw the vases I thought, oh, those look similar, same shape, but different pattern. The actual vases have lots and lots of pattern on them, but JSS simplified this pattern (to almost half, I would say) in the painting. This is what I'm suggesting you do with your mother-in-laws dress, to simplify that pattern. And play down the contrast between the black and white of the print. Flowers could be off-white, not stark white, and blurred.

Hope this helps!

Joan

Kimberly Dow · 06-28-2004, 04:39 PM

Thank you for responding Joan. You made good points. I feel confident I can do this well, except that jowl area you mentioned. That worries me a bit, but I will give it a shot. Since it is not a commission I can take my time and work on it until I am satisfied completely.

Mike Dodson · 06-28-2004, 05:41 PM

Kim,

Beautiful couple.

In addition to Joan's observations, I would minimize the amount of glare/reflection that is being picked-up on her glasses. I think you will want the viewer to see more of her eyes.

Good Luck and keep us posted as to how it is developing.

Kimberly Dow · 11-11-2004, 03:52 PM

I brought this back up because I am still sstruggling with it. My husband, the kids, etc. keep pressuring me to have this done for Christmas, but the first attempt at the above photo is a bomb.

I tried thinning her a bit and lost likeness, which figures. I am going to post another photo - THIS is what she really looks like most of the time. If I could somehow combine these two - the first one of him and the second of her. I did try in photoshop - keeping in mind the light is different, but it doesnt read true to me.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Since it is for family I could go with the second more informal pose, but his mouth....

I have never ever spent so much time being frustrated! I am just at a loss - there is no perfect one of each and the poses/light varies.

Kimberly Dow · 11-11-2004, 03:56 PM

This was my first attempt - and it bites so bad.

Michele Rushworth · 11-11-2004, 09:43 PM

Reshoot, reshoot, reshoot.

Quote:

I did try in photoshop - keeping in mind the light is different, but it doesnt read true to me.

...and it never will.

Only paint from reference you are really happy with. It's not worth banging your head against the wall for weeks trying to cobble together a painting from the wrong reference, or especially using photos in which the lighting doesn't match.

It's not just his mouth that's a problem in the second shot, his whole lower face is in deep shadow because it's being shaded by her head. Hate to say it but I think it's "back to the drawing board...."