Babysitter portrait

[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]

Some final tips; overrouge her cheeks, an eighteenth centurty portrait trick. It may look strong for street or even evening wear, but it works well for portraiture. Also find a makeup base that will cover her reddish nose. Adding deodorant to a makeup base will keep a face from glowing too much on a hot day.

Get the look you need. I have even called in makeup artists and hairdressers when needed. The clients have always picked up the tab.

Ah, what artist's can do. It is like plastic surgery, only the result, ie. the painting lasts longer.

Paint as many heads from life so you can loosen up your brushstokes and give your work individuality. I recently found a portrait site and I would not have been able to tell if the portraits had been done by different people if the vignettes had not been labeled. The style, design and concepts were all alike. A good deal of the portrait artists were well known also.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

This is my favorite of the new batch of photos I took this morning of my model. And I NEVER could have come up with this without all the help I got on the forum and specifically this thread!

I went shopping over the weekend and bought a dress for the model. Sharon, I never would have thought to do this without your suggestion. I found this dress at a resale shop and knew it would be perfect on my model.

My model showed up with her mother this morning. I was a little anxious, not nervous, just anxious, to have the mother watching everything I did. But it turned out well because the mom was impressed with my set-up and she amost fell over backwards when she learned I bought a dress just for her daughter to wear for this portrait.

Here is my favorite:

Joan

[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.

[Michele Rushworth]

Sharon has, as always, given excellent advice. A great painting cannot be made from flawed reference.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Sharon,

Thank you for your thoughtful post and your excellent advice.

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

I doubt that the Leo Caprio character could paint a portrait with bluffs.

I certainly hope I didn't give the impression that I could fake my way through portraiture. I was strictly talking about answering questions with confidence when talking to clients. I have a long long way to go with my painting.

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

How far we go depends on how we lay our foundation work.

I am working at building a foundation, unfortunately I haven't found a local instructor or local workshop that can help with this. I've exhausted the drawing and portrait classes at the MFA art school here in Houston.

That being said, I find myself learning so much from this forum and advice from professional artists like you is invaluable to me. Thank you again for taking a look at this Sharon and for your advice.

Joan