Juilianna in oils!

Terri Ficenec · 12-04-2003, 01:30 AM

OK... well am finally getting around to trying a portrait in oils!

This 'underpainting' is basically to get used to the paints and how they handle and to get an initial likeness. I plan to paint over it with color once am happy with the likeness (and once it dries for several days, I guess).

I'm finding the oils handle very differently than the acrylics -- everything moves and I keep putting my hand

in the paint!! But the painting does seem to go a whole lot quicker.

I know I've got to:
- lighten some of the shadows in her mouth and on her left cheek
- soften the hairline (though I may wait for color phase to do that)
- maybe tweak the shape of her eyes a bit?
- oh and adjust the wing of her nose. . .

So have at it -- advice/critique/suggestions welcome!

Oil on Canvas
12" x 9"

Terri Ficenec · 12-04-2003, 01:33 AM

reference photo:

Stacey McEwen · 12-04-2003, 03:31 PM

Terri,

Glad to see you're trying oils - I'll be excited to see how this one turns out, since I'm a big fan of your acrylics.

Keep us posted on your progress, and how you're liking the oils vs. acrylic.

I like what you've got so far. The one thing that popped out at me was that the shadows in the mouth could use some lightening, but you already mentioned that so I guess I didn't even need to!

Terri Ficenec · 12-04-2003, 06:17 PM

Hi Stacey -- Thanks!

I was planning to wait a few days (for the underpainting to dry) before laying on some color... but couldn't help myself and painted for a few hours this afternoon. So now I think the shadow on her near cheek has been lost a bit too much, that her lower lip is too bowed and that the whole face needs to be blended more evenly...
am loving the oils though!

Michele Rushworth · 12-04-2003, 10:38 PM

This is very charming.

Just a tip to help you avoid "getting your hand in the paint" - buy yourself a mahlstick. It will take some getting used to but it's a great tool.

Terri Ficenec · 12-05-2003, 12:13 AM

Michele - Thanks for the tip! -- and you were so right about switching to oil, much easier/faster to work with and more satisfying.

So, this is getting close, I think. I'll probably tone down the blue in the background a bit, and the shirt obviously needs a little attention. Anything jump out at anyone?

Mike McCarty · 12-05-2003, 12:35 AM

Terri,

I like this a lot. A couple of observations: On her right cheek, I would soften slightly the transition between light and shadow pretty much all around the perimeter. I would also knock off the sharp point at the bottom. Also take a look at her bottom lip on our right, as it makes the turn on the underside, I think you will see that it is slightly fuller than need be.

Oil paint rules.

Terri Ficenec · 12-05-2003, 01:19 AM

Mike - Thanks! Have adjusted both the cheek and the lower lip.

Also adjusted the shadows on her forehead.

Leslie Ficcaglia · 12-05-2003, 09:55 AM

Terri, congratulations on a very successful switch in media - I love the way you're approaching this! It's just beautiful, and the softness of the oils enhances your natural expressiveness. Your painterly style comes through with flying colors.

On to the picture at hand - there's something about the painting that makes the child look a little older and doesn't quite capture all of the sweetness and shyness that comes out in the photo. I opened up both your latest version of the painting and the reference photo side by side and can look at them simultaneously. (Didn't know I could do that!) It makes comparisons a lot easier. I think the main difference is in her left (our right) eyebrow; you have it a bit too pronounced and also coming downward a bit too much toward her nose, which gives her a more sophisticated look. Also her lower lip should be slightly fuller and should come out closer to the dip between cheek and chin on her right (our left). Her teeth are also less even in the photo and her front right tooth (our left) is larger and more prominent in real life. And lastly her left (our right) eye seems to be a bit more wide open - that is, higher in the vertical dimension - than you have it. These are very picky but one of the things I struggle with at times is the accurate depiction of age in children; it's so easy to get it slightly off and have a four year old look six or seven, and so I really focus in on this aspect of a painting.

Can't wait to see more!

Terri Ficenec · 12-05-2003, 01:13 PM

Leslie - Thanks so much for looking at this in so much detail!

The child is the daughter of a close friend of mine - and is now a little older than shown the reference photo, so I'm finding it hard not to reflect her current appearance! I've adjusted the shapes of the eye and the mouth, and thought I'd adjusted the brow line... but looking at it on the computer I'm thinking that may still need a little more softening. . .

Thanks again!