Self portrait #2

[Mark Gil]

This is another self portrait I'm working on (24 x 20 inches). I'm not sure about the background. Should I darken one side and not the other or darken all of it or leave it as it is? Should I lighten the highlights on the face? Should I darken the darks? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Steven Sweeney]

Moderator's Note: I'm moving these two images -- close-up and reference photo -- to this thread, from the separate threads in which they were originally posted.

[Steven Sweeney]

Reference photo:

[Steven Sweeney]

Mark,

As you can see, I've moved your close-up and reference photo images to this thread.

In my opinion, the background is fine as is. The question about darkening one side of the background and lightening the other goes to the more important matter of what's happening with the portrait subject itself. Almost always, when you see that treatment in a background, you'll also see a cross-lit subject, with one side in relative light and the other in relative shadow. Playing the values of the background against that is done in service to the overall scheme of values contrast and its effect on form and depth.

In your painting, the light is from the front and above. This makes the center of your face the "lighted" part, and the edges or circumference of the head the "shadow", if you will, and that shadow is fairly even all the way around the head. There would therefore be no reason to have one side of the background different in value from the other. What you have done -- contrast the relatively lighter background against the head and then go darker as you move away from the figure, in a sort of "sunburst" look -- seems to me to be perfectly acceptable and effective in this portrait.

The top edges of your glasses lenses were very difficult to understand at first, because I couldn't tell you were wearing glasses! In the reference photo, the bows (alongside the temples) seem darker and better defined, and I'd work on that, so that there's not a moment's question that we're looking at glasses. I think I'd darken the upper lid on the eye on our right, as in the photo. Right now it seems as if there's too much light getting in under the brow.

I definitely would not lighten any highlights in the face. If anything, I would get some value and color into some of the lights of the face, which right now have a bit of a chalky or washed-out look (as if bleached by very strong, cool light.)

The straight-on light is, I think, possibly making your nose appear broader than it is. Differentiate even if only slightly between the light hitting right down the center of the bridge of the nose and the slightly lesser value that would define the sides of the nose as the form planes turn away from that light.

Last thing for now on this quick look, consider altering hue or value in the black undershirt, to help dispel the appearance that you're a one-armed fellow. (Unless, of course, you are a one-armed fellow.)

I think this is quite nicely done, in your signature style. I've probably actually mentioned most of the "tweaks" I see.

Nice work.

[Tom Edgerton]

Steven's critique is, as usual, thorough and very helpful. I'd just reiterate two points.

1) Be relentless with your (dark to light) values. Value is what accurately describes form and what the light is doing on it. The drawing here is pretty accurate, but the few incorrectly observed and stated values are what is flattening the forms and killing the sense of light. In the reference photo, there's this nice feel for high overhead studio light that's lost in the painting. If you haven't already, make a nine-tone value scale on a piece of card stock.(Seven equal gray patches between white and black.) Sometimes the color of an area (or an adjacent area) will cause one to mis-read the value, and the scale will help with accurately reading it. Mine is usually in my hand when I'm painting, or within arm's reach. Check the values again throughout. For example, the light area down the edge of your jaw and neck on the right (our right) defining the outside contour of your head is painted the same color and value as the lights on the forehead. In the photo, starting about midway down, it's actually a middle-value gray-green--more of a halftone.

2) The halftones may need to be beefed-up a little colorwise,too. The halftones--between the shadows and the lights--are the areas where you'll see the greatest variety of nuance beween warm and cool colors, and usually the most saturated colors.

Also, maybe more accurately observe the irregularities and variety of edges where the hair meets the forehead. It's kind of "averaged out" and smoothed in the drawing, and has become a little cap- or wig-like.

With just some tweaking, this painting will really take off. The basics are solidly there now.