Madamoiselle M

[Clive Fullagar]

Here is the full length image. The glisten is just wet paint. The close-up of the face has too much reflected light on it. I will try and get that to you later on today.

[Clive Fullagar]

This is the best scan I can get on the face - guess what I am wanting Santa to give me for Christmas!

[Peggy Baumgaertner]

Okay, Clive, sorry for the delay. On the face:

I'd like to see a close up for her head. You said you had a better reference shot. It is a bit difficult to see what is going on with such a small head shot. What I can see...

1) Find a definite light and shadow patterning. Her face is flooded with light, but the shape of the shadow on the side of her face will be a flatter, straighter shape than you have shown. The shadow runs from her temple, around the eye socket, and straight down the side of her face until it comes to the jaw. It is not as round as you have shown. I can see this shape because of my experience, not because it is visible on this photograph, although it is there if you know where to look. The shadow on the side of the nose is also a more definite shape than you have shown, and include the bottom, underside as well, in the shadow. The lighter section under the nose is reflected light, and will be addressed later. There is also a cast shadow thrown from her head under her jaw, across her neck and shoulder, and running along her shoulder until it merges with the same shadow on her dress. These shadows do not have to be dark, but they need to be a correct, definite shape.

2) You are not taking advantage of dark notes in the face. You are playing it safe. The eyes can go darker in the iris (and not so dark in the pupil). The eye lashes can go darker, the eye brows as well. With a slightly darker delineation under the jaw, the entire head will be stronger. I suspect that your resource photo may be too light, and you are imitating that in your painting. It might not be a bad idea to take the negative down to a local photography store and have the photograph developed darker.

3) Her hair. You are painting the hair in the direction the individual hairs are running, this causes the hair to lack form. First off, think of the shape of the head. First and foremost, the shape of the head describes what the hair is doing. Secondly, you need to think of the mass of the hair, what mass of it is in shadow and what mass is in light. Based on the direction of the light, the crown and back of the head will be in shadow. Paint across the direction the hair is growing first to establish the mass, and only after the you have a solid head mass, paint with the direction the hair is growing, and just a few streaks. Don't go overboard. The value of the hair mass seems fine.

The chroma of the skin is much better, and I'm liking the overall effect more.

Peggy

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Cast shadows are almost always deeper than open shadows as on her right arm. I'd suggest you afford having a shadow that narrows as it runs alongside the edge of an arm. When things are very clear-painting is tough enough. Try to make the challenge as easy on yourself as possible.