Composition for 3 in a portrait

Mike McCarty · 09-04-2002, 09:49 PM

Several years ago, I started this as an exercise. I wanted to see if I could technically combine three photographs into one painting. I figured that someday (hopefully) someone was going to ask me to do something like this. This is oil on canvas 24" x 36".

The exercise proved to be a doozy for me. I come back to it from time to time and try to apply what I have learned. As you can see, there is still much to do. I just consider it a long work in progress. I will post the painting and then a couple of the photos in use. Maybe someone could comment on the overall effectiveness of the composition and particularly the horizon.

Mike McCarty · 09-04-2002, 09:50 PM

photo on the left...

Mike McCarty · 09-04-2002, 09:52 PM

photo on the right...

Mike McCarty · 09-04-2002, 09:59 PM

here's the center photo...

Michael Fournier · 09-04-2002, 10:19 PM

An uncharacteristically short post from me, due to the fact I was busy painting when my e-mail notified of Mike's post...

But because I like the work Mike posted so much, I thought I would take a minute to say: Mike, so far you have done a great job! Getting all three riders to appear to be in correct perspective and the same lighting is tough and you have done a good job. I would guess that all three pictures were taken at the same time of day from a similar angle. But even so it is not a easy task.

Thanks for posting this painting!

Well, back to my own painting

Chris Saper · 09-04-2002, 10:44 PM

Dear Mike,

I am thinking that you are asking for feedback here, so here's my two cents' worth.

I don't think you can make this compositionally successful, and I say this only because I am familiar with your other more recent work, which I feel goes well beyond this start (which by your description is several years old). Your three focal points (here I am assuming the girls' faces) are scattered across the surface without benefit of either proximity or connected values. In this way they look unrelated, so that the overall painting lacks a strong focal point.

The second and third girls are lit from a different direction from the first, which, to me, would be a confounding factor that I would never attempt. There are also strong contrast patterns and edges within and along the horses' coloring and the first two girls' jeans that become eyegrabbers, although these are factors you could definitely overcome.

I think the height of the horizon line is fine, as it calls attention to the level of the girls' faces. Perhaps I would just think about a counterbalancing directional, as the girls' positions are sloping down to the right; you might balance this with a horizon line that moves at an opposing angle, or even a distant mountain range rising from somewhere in the middle, behind the tree line, toward the upper right.

On the other hand, you have characteristically lovely individual photo references of the left and middle girls, which would make marvelous single-subject paintings.

p.s. Michael F. is absolutely right, you have dealt very successfully with the sizing and perspective issues involved in using three different source photos.

Mike McCarty · 09-04-2002, 11:55 PM

Thanks, Michael and Chris (both hard c's),

Chris, thanks for not encouraging me on this. I have this thing about completion. You have to recognize when something has lived out its usefulness. I will take this and hang it with many others in the garage.

Michael Fournier · 09-05-2002, 12:13 AM

Well, Chris, I think you are correct as the painting is now. But if the girl in the front was made the focal point, and the other two were played down it could work. Not as a threesome portrait, but more as a single portrait of the girl in front, with the others as supporting cast, so to speak.

The lighting problems as would have to be worked out. And the background would need to be changed so that the two girls in the background dropped back. All in all, it would be a lot of work. If the girl in the front was the focal point, I would like to see her hung closer to the center line and the other two more to the right. Think of a scale with the heavier weight closer to the pivot point and the lighter weight farther, so it balances. I guess what I am saying is with a new start and changing a few things this could be a rather interesting painting.

My advice Mike instead of working on this canvas, think of this one as a big sketch that still needs some changes. Maybe if I have time (and you don't mind) I might have a go at sketching the composition I mean.

p.s. OK, Chris when you're right, you're right. I stopped and did a sketch then looked at the reference and the sketch. Mike, you would have to do a lot of drawing. You need to change the perspective of each girl. You would need to draw more of the horses and your reference does not show that so you would need to make it up (very hard), and then you need a convincing landscape to put them in; and none of the three photos has enough of its background to use. So, unless you got more reference so that you could draw the scene, and then drop the girls and their mounts into it...Chris is right, this painting will never quite work. I would spend time on other paintings, and if you want to revisit the subject do it over with new reference.

Timothy C. Tyler · 09-26-2002, 04:11 PM

I think maybe the largest might be the highest and placed about 5/8 over from the left edge, with one to that one's right smallest, and one that largest one's left 2nd largest. This is hard to say, but it's more negative space stuff.

Jim Riley · 09-26-2002, 09:41 PM

Mike,

"Hopefully you might be asked to do something like this"? You must love punishment. Working backwards (to my mind) would be a nightmare for me. Far better in my view would be a situation where photos support a composition. You did a good job with what you had.

After I studied your post I scrolled down to Chris and Michael's comments and pretty much agree with their take. (Chris's opinion, by the way, is easily worth two or three times more than her estimated worth). Michael's sketch shows movement, activity, and a composition that allows for a relationship of one rider to another and the horses now become a part of the story.

Otherwise, the young ladies might just as well be sitting on Pinto/painted rocks in front of a stage drop. My strong urge would include the trees behind the subject (nicely suggested in the photos) and whatever the horizon line, (I prefer level) I suggest the lakes/ponds do not descend nor rise without explanation.