Goldie Locks

Chris Saper · 08-17-2004, 12:00 PM

Janel,

You have done a wonderful job with the pose and lighting! This will be a fantastic painting!

Janel Maples · 08-17-2004, 06:00 PM

Jean, Michele and Chris,

Thank you, thank you and thank you so much. I felt pretty good about it prior to posting, but it still feels wonderful to know that others have favorable opinions about it as well. I will go with the suggestions made for more background from Michele and an itty bitty move to the left from Mike.

Keep your peepers open for the results coming soon.

Thanks again!!

Kimberly Dow · 08-17-2004, 11:41 PM

I just want to say that after seeing this I realize I need to get better in Photoshop! How in the world does everyone get such great references from different shots? When I try to put mine together you see all the edges. I've got a laptop with a touchpad instead of a mouse - wonder if that's it?

Janel Maples · 08-18-2004, 10:22 AM

Kimberly,

For what it is worth, this particular cut and paste job for me was done on my laptop with a touch pad. I have done them with a mouse and I prefer the touch pad, myself.

When I do this kind of stuff, I do not use Photoshop, I use another program called PhotoSuite. It has different functions for the task. They are: 1) Shapes 2) Edge finder, where you touch close to the edge and the program finds the edge for you and you can adjust as needed, 3) Free hand, where you touch points around a shape and again, you can adjust your points as needed.

Now something like the one I did above, I didn't get too picky about because it is something I will be painting. If I wanted to work on a photo that I would be framing (as I did for our family Christmas photo of 13 people) I would look for areas to hide edges, such as in the hair and make a really irregular edge so it would be harder for the eye to pick it out and follow.

My Christmas photo was put together from 5 different shots and it turned out really nice.

Good luck.

Janel

Joan Breckwoldt · 08-18-2004, 05:09 PM

Janel,

This is a lovely reference photo, thanks for bringing my attention to it. I would enjoy seeing some in progress photos of this portrait as it progresses, if that's something you would consider.

thanks,

Joan

Sharon Knettell · 08-26-2004, 09:19 PM

I have wavered making a comment on this obviously charming reference photo.

In my opinion a simpler garment in a complementary color to her hair, something in a mauve or periwinkle would be more efficacious. I find the busy white ruffle detracts from her lovely cascade of curls.
This portrait needs a color accent of some kind to work.

Janel Maples · 08-29-2004, 01:55 PM

Hello Sharon,

Oh bah humbug!

By wavering ( I believe it was said by the Grandfather in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" )

"Had your chance..........muffed it!"

I already presented a reccommendation for the composition and the mother approved it so I have started the portrait as you see it.

I am only playing with you based on your title. I do not have any hard feelings about your comment. On the contrary, you made some valid points in your comment and I will tuck the information away to be used for my next commission (the optimist in me) and chalk this one up as a learning experience.

I think, based on the reaction I am getting, that painting it as is will still be lovely but I liked what you had to say. In my defense (there I go again, Marvin) prior to the photo session, I reccommended a blue shirt or dress with this background but the mother insisted on the white shirt with ruffles. We looked at other background choices and this was the best one by far considering where the portrait will be hung in her home. I didn't find the white too bad, but I did not think of the ruffles. Good thing they are not too large.

Thank you for adding to my list of things to think about for next time though.