A study of Cole

[Karine Monaco]

Hello Garth,

I love this pastel a lot.
Perfect spontaneity.
I admire your work, and the heart you put in your paintings and drawings. Your formal oil paintings are great and technically impressive. I am however very glad to see you posting simple pastel sketches, which let you express your artistic sense so spontaneously.

I did not think the boy was putting on a tie when I first saw the picture. Actually I thought, at first sight, that his elbows where leaning on a table. I understood later when looking more closely, that he was holding drumsticks in his hands and that there was a cymbal too.

I agree with Alex : if you want to emphasize the importance of the instrument in your composition, it could be a little bit more clarified. This would make the painting more readable.
Also, concerning what Steve wrote about the drumsticks, I would add that you may want to rectify them a bit, by straightening them up. They look curved on the sketch, and this might be the reason why some people may think of it as being a tie...

I saw the photos you posted in the resource photo critiques, and the way you handled the shirt's drawing, color and light, compared to what we can see on the photo, does give a soft and fleeting mood to the sketch, that helps revealing the boy's character I think.

Sincerely,
Karine

[Garth Herrick]

The client loves the pastel, stray hair and all! It makes things simpler for me.

Originally Posted by Steve Craighead

Very nice Garth. I think you have the right degree of sketchiness. I wouldn't refine it any further. Nice compositional idea too.
I wish Dan hadn't mentioned putting on the tie though. I keep seeing that now. Perhaps the drum sticks need to be rendered just a tad more to keep the viewer's mind on track. I wouldn't obscure the drums.

Dear Steve,

Thanks so much for your encouragement and vote of confidence! I really respect your work. I am not sure if I will do much more with this pastel anyway, since it is merely a working cartoon and has served it's intended purpose. I should tweak the drumsticks and a few things. I don't care for the blurred version all that much. Your insight is very helpful.

Garth

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Alexandra Tyng

Garth,

As you know I think this sketch is superb. I did see the drumsticks for what they were, when I first saw this. On the other hand, I think the cymbal should be clarified somehow or else removed.

This pastel is not only brilliantly executed, it is also wonderfully spontaneous. If you can try to maintain as much as you can of that in the oil painting (as much as the client will accept), it would be a positive move. The portrait won't be a big, formal one and you might just be able to get away with it.

Hi Alex!

You are quite right about the cymbal needing clarification. I may need to move it a little or give it the unmistakeable elipsed edge, or something....

I believe the client will totally accept a spontaneous, less restrained finish. There was a sample oil portrait displayed at the live auction, that was indeed spontaneus and impressionistic, relative to what is usually seen from me on this Forum. So I think this will work in an easier direction.

Thanks!

Garth

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Karine Monaco

Hello Garth,

I love this pastel a lot.
Perfect spontaneity.
I admire your work, and the heart you put in your paintings and drawings. Your formal oil paintings are great and technically impressive. I am however very glad to see you posting simple pastel sketches, which let you express your artistic sense so spontaneously.

I did not think the boy was putting on a tie when I first saw the picture. Actually I thought, at first sight, that his elbows where leaning on a table. I understood later when looking more closely, that he was holding drumsticks in his hands and that there was a cymbal too.

I agree with Alex : if you want to emphasize the importance of the instrument in your composition, it could be a little bit more clarified. This would make the painting more readable.
Also, concerning what Steve wrote about the drumsticks, I would add that you may want to rectify them a bit, by straightening them up. They look curved on the sketch, and this might be the reason why some people may think of it as being a tie...

I saw the photos you posted in the resource photo critiques, and the way you handled the shirt's drawing, color and light, compared to what we can see on the photo, does give a soft and fleeting mood to the sketch, that helps revealing the boy's character I think.

Sincerely,
Karine

Dear Karine, thanks!

I apreciate the echoed response to the "spontineity". That means a lot to me.

Your obsevation of the sticks appearing less than straight is duly noted. Good point!

As to the "soft and fleeting mood", I am still getting to know who the slightly mysterious Cole is as an individual, and soft and fleeting generally applies well to kids as part of their inherent charm. He has a tough and perhaps tenaciously stubborn quality too that should stead him well on the coming road of life. With this portrait, the subtleties of facial reading and mood conveyance will be all important and integral to his likeness. This pastel spoke to his father as revealing of some of the endearing "aloof" qualities Cole may possess. What makes it easier for me is he is also purposely focused and very much in tune with how he wants to be presented in a portrait. He seems a keen observer.

As an aside, during Saturday's presentation, Cole actually spoke in response to his cartoon portrait sketch laying on a desk in before him: "Heh,---yeah." (spoken in a very flat tonality). Which means he evidently approves!

Garth

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Garth, I just wanted to add that I am looking forward to see the final piece.
Your latest works were official portraits and maybe demanded a tighter painting, while here you said they were bidding for a sketch.
What a nice opportunity for a bit of freedom.
I think that if you post some wip here we can help you decide when it's done
With the usual awe
Ilaria