Husband/wife composition - Page 3

Michele Rushworth · 02-15-2003, 11:14 PM

Very nice lighting, exposure, poses etc. Should be fun to paint!

Will Enns · 02-16-2003, 02:43 AM

Chris, Michele,

These responses are certainly more positive than I expected! I guess the wait and travail were worth it. I had three separate photo sessions to generate this photo. Only one conclusion can be drawn from this: All good things come to those who read the SOG portraiture Forum.

I failed to mention earlier that this was taken with my Minolta D7 digital camera, with which I am very happy. It has an option to bracket exposures by up to 1 f-stop, a handy trick that allows us to look into the shadows even after the client is gone.

Thanks for those encouraging words. Now I shall try to hold up my end.

Leslie Ficcaglia · 02-16-2003, 09:45 AM

Will, I've been following this thread with interest and have learned a lot as well. Your latest reference photo is beautiful; I like the colors and shadows you've achieved and it forms a harmonious whole. The only element that concerns me is his left hand; because his arm curves downward and his hand is so much lighter than her skirt, it keeps pulling my eye down and leading it out of the picture. If this were my painting I would try to make that hand curve so that it directs the eye upward and back into the painting for more visual adventures. You have a very appealing couple here, though, and it's going to be fun to paint them.

Chris Saper · 02-16-2003, 09:48 PM

Will, Just another opinion here: I would not attempt to alter the position of the hand without visual information at the ready. If you feel his hand has too much dominance, (problems inherent in photographs), you can diminish it with desaturated color, soft edges, and slightly diminished value. Her hand, close in, will move forward with sharper edges and more saturated color.

Such impact is well demonstrated by Daniel Greene's auctioneer series. (Current in my mind this week.) When I get a moment I'll try to locate an image online.

Leslie Ficcaglia · 02-16-2003, 10:12 PM

Chris, I wasn't suggesting that Will fabricate a new position with no reference. I certainly would never do that myself. If none of the other photos from the session that day had a useful example of the arm in a better position then he might want to take another one just for that bit of information. However, as you mentioned, softening the hand somewhat would help.

Chris Saper · 02-16-2003, 11:09 PM

Leslile, thanks I didn't think you were suggesting so, but just wanted to be clear.

Here's an image I have located. I plan to send for the catalog of this series, available through American Artist, Catalog Dept., 770 Broadway, NY NY 10003, for $20.00.

If I can locate a better on-line reference, I'll replace this image with the link. These are all fantastic paintings, in the Daniel Greene style, which he very clearly describes on his videos.

Will Enns · 02-17-2003, 03:18 AM

Leslie,

I had already decided to minimize that hand. I'll do it by rendering it in such a way that there appears to be less light falling on that whole lower area, much as Chris suggests.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Chris,

That is indeed a nice painting, and beautifully executed. But my untrained eye doesn't quite pick up the subtle differences you refer to with the softer edges and desaturated colors. I imagine the effects would be more visible at full size?

Will

Leslie Ficcaglia · 02-17-2003, 09:55 AM

Will, on my monitor the hand with the pointing finger is delineated in softer, subtler colors and the edges aren't as sharp. It doesn't jump out at you the way the other hand does.

Are you going to show us the painting as you begin it? It would be fun to see it progress.

Cynthia Daniel · 02-17-2003, 02:00 PM

Will,

You said you'd searched through SOG main site for couple paintings. I wondered if you knew that I had a gallery page specifically for couple paintings: http://www.portraitartist.com/couples.htm

This will help you zero in on any you might have missed. There aren't a lot of couples on the site and per my knowledge, not a lot in general painted.

Jim Riley · 03-04-2003, 01:25 AM

Will,

What a nice story your project has become. I will send students to this thread in the future to see how much an idea can be changed for the better. The photo is full of good reference. I wouldn't have expected the white against white to work so well but it provides great shapes and interesting shades and values of white.

I like the position and shape of the hand and would agree that you might try a darker tone but not so much that you might lose the wonderful abstract shape it creates as part of the grouping of light shirts.

I would suggest eliminating the finger ends of his right hand. Otherwise there is confusion resulting in the appearance of multiple thumbs stacked up along the outline of her blouse. Be careful with the "whites" of the eyes also. They look too white in the photo. The little wing at the top of her blouse juts out rather abruptly. You may want to try a more drooping angle.

An opportunity to buy a Minolta D5 at a bargain price turned out to be an excellent purchase for me. I use the bracketing also and recently started using the custom white balance setting to get truer color. I hope I get as good results as you did.

Good luck with the painting.