Ashley

[Michele Rushworth]

Nice photo manipulation example, Garth H.

I'm also struggling right now with photo reference that is SO contrasty that there's no room for any color in the lights or the darks. (The lights look pasty and the darks look cold and dead.) I'm reducing the contrast and cranking up the saturation of the reference photo a lot to get something that looks even sort of like living color to paint from.

I'm learning (the hard way) that strong lighting situations produce virtually unuseable reference, and that cameras do a much better job capturing accurate values and color in the gentle mid ranges of light.

[John Reidy]

Garth (Jerome) - you have a real talent for capturing color and values plus drawing. It is a treat to see your work.

I agree that your reference material is the only thing you need to improve. Once you get that I might break my brushes.

Great work.

[Garth Parker]

Thank you for your compliments and critiques.

It

[Michele Rushworth]

I seem to be attracted to excessive contrast.

You might want to study the work of artists like Caravaggio and others of the time who mastered the concept of chiaroscuro (light/dark). Now THEY were attracted to strong contrast ...and made heart stopping paintings too.

As for the reference photos provided by your client, you might want to post them under photo critiques and get some input from people on the Forum. (My general feeling is that nothing is so career limiting as painting from inferior reference.)