Babysitter portrait

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Allan Rahbek

What I meant was simply to get the maximum light indoor. I imagine that this can be done by placing a big white sheet just outside the door, to catch the sunlight like a mirror and reflect it into the room. This will be like a big soft lamp.

Thank you Allan, that sounds like a great idea. My windows (actually 2 french doors) face south and I think I could get a lot of light to reflect into the room. At least it is worth a try. Now, I have learned, it's not just light I need, but a way to focus and control it!

Joan

[Sharon Knettell]

I am not sure, but James Tennison (I think that's his name) has done some lovely portraits of younger ladies, some seated. They, I believe are on the SOG site. Notice how erect he has his ladies seated, no pouching stomachs!

Allan's idea of a reflector outside is great. I have a silver one I use to supplement the daylight from outside, but I also use a cut down sheet of silver covered insulation. It is about $8.00 and about 1 1/2" thick works just fine. Prop it up on a chair or whatever to reflect the light.

Young girls party dress, think debutant, country club.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Sharon,

Such good information! Thank you so much.

I think you have passed on some very helpful information about the material you use for a reflector.

I got the kids off to their grandparents and by that time I had thought some more about buying a dress. I realized that instead of being daunted by a seemingly huge task, I should look at it as an opportunity to shop for something special. Well, the only thing open this late in Houston was the Salvation Army and I didn't find anything there. Our church has a great resale shop and I'll try that tomorrow.

You hit the nail on the head when you said to think debutante and country club. This young woman, our babysitter, will be presented in December. When I asked her to model she had the idea that I could do this and then when she is presented, I could paint her again for her parents in her gown. (I don't think it's here, it's been ordered and is being made somewhere.) I don't know what the girls are wearing these days. As I said, my model is very preppy. But, I can find out. I can ask some of my friends with older daughters or go into any upscale shop here in Houston and get a good idea of what my models should be wearing.

All this seems to be taking me away from painting but I think in the long run will be very helpful. And it's fun!

I also bought a reflector lamp for the bulb I have so I will experiment with adding that light to her face when she comes to sit for me on Monday.

Thank you Sharon, I'm getting an idea of what my model should be wearing, or importantly, what kind of message or image this portrait should project.

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

All this seems to be taking me away from painting but I think in the long run will be very helpful.

As you're finding, all this is every bit as essential to a successful outcome as anything you might do with a brush in your hand. As Nelson Shanks says, "Great paintings are made at the beginning, not at the end."

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Michele Rushworth

As Nelson Shanks says, "Great paintings are made at the beginning, not at the end."

Hi Michele,

Hmm, this is very interesting. I am beginning to understand this. But still, I have this voice in my head that is always telling me I should be painting!

Joan

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Dearest Michele, Allan, Linda, Chris and Sharon,

I just wanted to say thank you for all the help you have given me on this project. I feel like I am immersed in some kind of class with a group of wonderful, but tough (!), teachers.

Seems like every time I check for a response, there is one. There is also usually an 'action item' to add to my list with each response, something to look up, something new to try, or something to buy! You guys are wearing me out but I love it! This is why I say I feel like I'm taking a class, though I have the best teachers I've ever had and so much support. It means a lot to me.

Thank you again and please keep the ideas and responses coming. I've got a full tank of gas for errands, a credit card for purchases and I'll get a good night's sleep so I'll try to keep up.

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

But still, I have this voice in my head that is always telling me I should be painting!

"Doing planning for a painting" IS "painting", and is far more productive than just slapping colors on a canvas with no forethought.

All that essential stuff (working out lighting problems, evaluating clothing choices, planning camera angles, deciding what it is you want to communicate, thinking about mood and how to support it with your composition, cropping, balance, thinking about sight lines -- all that stuff IS painting. Don't feel guilty about it. It's the most important part of "painting".

Every hour of careful thought at this point in the process will do more for the end result than any amount of fancy brushwork or color mixing will ever achieve on its own.

[Sharon Knettell]

Joan,

The only photo that could possibly be interpreted for portrait use is the standing figure.
Alas, it has a few problems as I see it.

A: There seems to be two sources of light, one warm, one cool. The face is warm, the hands greenish blue. It is better to learn how to resolve that than to rely on photoshop or some other computer program.

B: The choice of a background. It is baggy and it's heavily draped folds conflicts with the dress. The floor area is unresolved.

C: There is no color plan. Is it a red-green blue orange color scheme? What is your color design plan.

D: The dress is not what I would have personally picked for this young lady. She is rather busty and the frieze of rosettes and the sheen of the fabric only accentuate the problem.

One must approach clients with confidence and knowledge, only learning proper procedures will give you this advantage. I doubt that the Leo Caprio character could paint a portrait with bluffs.

A good photo course would be useful as well as subscriptions to W and Town and Country. We must learn how the gentry dress if we want to present them well or those who seek to emulate them.

This, of course presumes that you have put in the requisite time honing your portrait skills. One year of learning tonal drawing and one year of just painting the figure and head would be the basic minimum. Mike Dodson is setting a good example here on the forum with his series of head studies from life. They are excellent and fresh and will stand him in good stead when he has to make color notes from life.
A workshop or an atelier are also excellent options.

How far we go depends on how we lay our foundation work. We can thrill our friends and family with our copies of photos or we can diligently prepare ourselves for a more discerning and better paying clientele.