Steve

Alexandra Tyng · 09-05-2005, 09:02 AM

This is my latest portrait, of my husband, Steve. It's 66" x 40", not quite life-size, though with the frame it does seem to take up a lot of space!

Michele Rushworth · 09-05-2005, 10:09 AM

What an interesting portrait. It does what I think is most important for a portrait to do and that is give a clear picture of what the person is all about. Everything from the clothing to the stance to the cat to the articles in the background make me feel as if I really know this man.

Brenda Ellis · 09-05-2005, 10:12 AM

Alexandra this is wonderful and enchanting. I love that the little black cat is looking up at his face. All the detail in the room is superb. (The fish! The sketches in the frames! the coaster on the desk behind his hand!) It is wonderful to see a relatively loose style creating so much detail! Once again you've created a painting full of meaning and warmth and personality.
(Thank you so much for you suggestions on my wip!)

Molly Sherrick Phifer · 09-05-2005, 10:29 AM

Alex,

This is just marvelous! I love the style, as well as all the items included (and so softly rendered). The cat is wonderful. Another Siamese? This one looks like a sealpoint. Beautifully rendered!

I hope this one will be in your show.

Lacey Lewis · 09-05-2005, 12:20 PM

I agree with all that's been said, this is inspiring! I especially do like that cat.

Congrats on an amazing work!

Alexandra Tyng · 09-05-2005, 01:32 PM

Well, I've been agonizing over what people would say about this one, because I really put my heart into it. My husband has been making excuse after excuse about why he won't pose for a portrait, until finally I simply announced, "Okay, I've got this idea and I need you to pose." I think my years of contemplating how to paint him resulted in an attempt to put it all into one. Who knows if I'll get another chance?

Michele, I appreciate your comments so much, especially coming from someone so talented and accomplished. That was my intent exactly, so I am glad it came though in the painting. It's funny that, although I intentionally tried to communicate certain things, I also felt the painting kind of taking over and doing it through me.

Brenda, thank you so much for your appreciation of the details, and for appreciating the feeling aspect. That is always so important to me when I am painting. As for your WIP, I'm always glad to be of some help.

Molly, Yes, it will be in the show. The cat is a sable Burmese. Our other cat is also a Burmese, but a different color.

Lacey, wow, I am so honored to think I can be inspiring to someone.

Thanks so much to all of you!

Here's an extreme closeup which I couldn't fit on the original post:

Brenda Ellis · 09-05-2005, 01:38 PM

Alexandra,
I do have a question. Did you do this all from a photo or did you get your subject to sit (stand) for you for part of it?
I admire the consistency of the light on the subject and in the room. Is the light exactly as you saw it or did you adjust the light in some areas to work with the composition?

Alexandra Tyng · 09-05-2005, 01:58 PM

Hi Brenda,

Usually I do a color study from life if the person is willing or able to give me about an hour or so. I take photos and create the composition from a combination of the idea in my head, thumbnail sketches, and photos. In this case it was a hot day and my husband was breaking out in a sweat, though the air conditioner was on. I think it was the afternoon and the sun was heating up the room. I felt sorry for him, so I let him off the hook and painted him from the photos, which happened to have turned out extremely well. If I have a really good reference I can work from the photos because I have done so many portrait sketches from life, I know what I'm looking for and how to interpret the references. As I was painting the room, there were passages where I felt I did not have enough information of detail or color, so I did those parts from life.

The color is generally what I see, but at the same time I'm always interpreting and making choices and adjustments. I don't think a work of art should ever be simply a literal rendering of life. It puts things together from life into a meaningful whole. I always think of it as being like a writer choosing descriptive words or not writing every word of the conversation. Not to get all philosophical on you ( a bad habit), but you could say the color is derived from a direct observation of life.

This is what happens when you ask me a simple question!

Alex

Garth Herrick · 09-05-2005, 02:03 PM

Dear Alex,

I have been privileged by you to preview this wonder in progress. I have been to this room, introduced to your husband, and can assert this representation is the verity of Steve. It's perfect. I want to reach in and touch the train and pet your cat. Within this canvas, there is a believable sense of atmosphere, depth, and presence to everything lovingly rendered. Well done!

Something about this portrait reminds me of the engaging qualities of Charles Wilson Peale's "Staircase Group", of 1795, in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It's a favorite trompe l'oeil example of a portrait.

Garth

Claudemir Bonfim · 09-05-2005, 02:44 PM

What a beautiful portrait Alex.
I like the brush strokes very much, not only this, the lighting, the colors and I love the way you managed the greys and blues.
Congrats.