Rebecca, first oil portrait nearing completion

[Monique McFarland]

Originally Posted by Cindy Procious

Alex, that is good advice. Just paint. Over and over again. Understanding of the medium will come.

However, if this is a commission (Monique...you didn't say?) then she will want to address the issue, don't you agree?

You guys have gone over and above the call of duty with this one. I am going to print out all of your suggestions and study them, carefully. Cindy, you have put a lot of time into your critique of this painting, and I thank you very much for that. Alex, thank you, as always.....life drawing classes are something that I think I would be just invaluable to me. Allan, Steven...thank you both, beyond words, also!! Very eloquent critiques....your understanding of our art that we love is apparent. As I stated, I am going to print out all that has been suggested here, study them, and decide what changes will be made, if any. I have a big mental problem with deciding one is "finished" and having no desire to go back into it once that mental decision has been made...bad BAD trait.

This is not a commission...it was an experiment from a photo I took a few years ago and have always loved...an experiment with a new medium..to test myself and see if I was able to learn it before I put myself out there as an oil portraitist. I study every single artist on SOG's site...each and every one, a few at a time, I look at every portrait they've done...I am pretty decisive about what I like and what I don't..I have my favorites, as anyone would. I try to study their style and learn from colors used, composition, skin tones...handling of clothing, backgrounds...etc. I soak them up like a sponge! This painting was a test. passed/failed....don't care...it was a wonderful experience nonetheless...I'm proud of it, and being so hard on myself...I study each area that I'm pleased or not pleased with, try to learn from it and take that experience onto the next painting. Each one I try to correct my errors on the previous one and do think that my last painting is always my best ever. Isn't that the way it SHOULD work? I think so.

Thanks to everyone who spoke up here, it is greatly GREATLY appreciated.

[Cindy Procious]

In that case, Monique, call it done. OR - make changes to it, using it as a test panel to figure out exactly how you would approach it. Try different methods. Use it to learn.

[Steven Sweeney]

Comments on "the details" can seem a little overwhelming, especially in the early investigations of a new medium or procedure (and in my case, late in the thread). There's no question that this is a very striking presentation, and if you changed nothing on it, it still would be. You leaped with ease many of the hurdles that others struggle with for a good while before breaking through.

You are wise to want to print out the comments and give them due consideration in time. Some are necessarily shorthand for more complex notions and, so, might not make a lot of sense in any one critique. Almost all are not just about what you "have to fix" in the work under review, but about the entire approach you will bring to your next painting, and then to your next thirty paintings. It may be #23 before some element mentioned here will lead to an "Ah ha!" experience.

As for going back into a "finished" piece, that happens to be one of the reasons I chose oils rather than watercolors. I rarely get things right the first time, and oils let me go in and make the adjustments.

And to echo my advice in another thread, "Okay. Now get started on the next one."

[Simon Bland]

Monique,

Absolutely splendid painting ! Great advice !

Just one small thing for me: I don't think I've finished a portrait yet without my wife pointing out that I've overdone the bags under someone's eyes - she points out that "everyone likes to be flattered". Perhaps you could soften the areas under her eyes just a little to make her look less tired ?

Simon