Study in oil - Page 3

Timothy C. Tyler · 05-07-2002, 09:33 PM

Never mind about the femur. I'm quilty of expecting cliche' sizing when it's the variations in people that make us all different-w/o these, portrait painters would be out of work. Sorry.

Denise Hall · 05-18-2002, 10:39 PM

This is my first post as I have been busy reading and studying the technical pages. I just discovered this whole site last week and am getting into portrait painting after years of landscape, still life and fighting my true love, painting the portrait. I have so much to learn and am presently searching for the right workshop with the right teacher for me and for this summer no less.

This composition is wonderful and the lighting is magnificent. The only thing I can find is the bridge of the nose (as someone else mentioned) and the lips seem a bit too flat and dark. I may be very wrong because I truly have not gone to your site to check your other portraits for a handle on your style. I just think the lips are a little dark for the rest of her face. Also, it could be the flatness of the computer image itself fooling my eye. Regardless, it is a beautiful work and I love the cabled sweater also!

Lon Haverly · 05-18-2002, 10:48 PM

Thank you, Denise, for your kind comments! I am puzzled with this JPEG stuff, because it does tend to handle paint strokes and colors a lot strange. The nose looks OK in the painting, and the lips are not as dark. I struggled with the digital look of the painting, and find myself painting for the camera these days! It really puts a spin on the colors, but it is like looking at your work in the mirror. You somehow can see what is wrong. But you have to stop somewhere.

Welcome to SOG. I have been here two months, and it inspired me to paint again after years of only drawing.

Jeanine Jackson · 05-21-2002, 08:08 AM

Beautiful! Great comments on a lovely painting... My only comment regards the lips which both look quite dark.... Is it possible that the lower lip is lighter, especially on the light side?

Your client will be delighted for sure!

Lon Haverly · 05-21-2002, 12:57 PM

I know, the lips are very very dark, but she uses that color. The highlights do not show up in the JPEG. I will take another look, however, since you mention it. I highly respect your eagle eye!

Linda Ciallelo · 05-22-2002, 10:58 PM

I really like your use of color in this painting. There is an atmospheric quality that is not quite real, and I like it. You could make it more "photographic", but I feel that it would destroy that quality that I have mentioned. It's almost Impressionistic. I like the roses that mimic the color in her face. I would describe this as more of an interpretation than a traditional portrait. It's a lovely, well balanced composition. Excellent light.

Alicia Kornick · 05-23-2002, 10:49 PM

Lon,

I'm a new member. I like it very much, just a suggestion about the lips, I think they are a bit too dark. Maybe soften them a bit and lighten the color.

Alicia

Lon Haverly · 05-25-2002, 04:06 AM

Thank you all for your kind encouragement! You motivate me more than anything in recent years to paint. I relish the critiques, and I am glad for a chance to learn in this environment. I am quite isolated here in Eugene from any serious portrait artists. It is like I am not the big frog or the little frog in the pond - rather, the only frog.

John Bruso · 05-27-2002, 12:56 AM

Lon,

I absolutely love the work you've done with the hands! They look wonderful.

My only critique, and I think some others might have caught on to this as well, is that the side of the face in the shadow looks to be a little flat. Now, I know it appears to be this way in the photo, but it's just an illusion. If you zoom in on the photo in photoshop you'll see that there is a great deal of depth in the color and shading of that part of her face. If you could replicate that subtlety, I think her face would turn out as well as you've executed the hands.

John

Lon Haverly · 05-27-2002, 02:45 AM

Thank you for your insightful input!

The secondary warm light is the focus of the left side of the face, and I thought to keep the colors simple so as not to distract from the play on color from cool on the right to warm on the left. However, I will have a look at the photo close up as you advise.

The work is done, however, and though I could do more, I have learned that it is good to leave off before you start down the slippery slope to overworking.