Iain the crofter

[Margaret Ferguson]

Hi, recently finished this portrait of a man who has a great twinkle in his eye!

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

You're very talented, Margaret. I would love, as I know I have mentioned before, to see a larger work where everything is worked as the head is worked. I am sure you would pull it off terrifically! Really good work.

[Chris Saper]

Dear Margaret,

I think this is powerful and expressive work! Congratulations!

PS Can you tell us about your subject ( and about crofters?)

[Margaret Ferguson]

Thank you Thomasin as ever; one of my problems is I have difficulty working less than life size, in fact I usually go larger.

The papers I use are fixed at 50X70cm, the only way round scale issues is to prime a larger board; perhaps the next step..

What scale do you work with? I love your portrayal of the figure and skin

Chris, crofters are traditional Highlands and Islands smallholders; it was a tough life for many, trying to grow enough to live on (the land tends to be rocky and barren ; Plenty of them actually emigrated to the US and Canada)

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

I have been working with 16" x 20" (41 cm x 51cm0 but am most comfortable with 30" x 40" (76cm x 102cm) or thereabouts because I also have difficulty working less than life-size. It's a balance of large gestural areas of tone with certain details and I can't see this well enough if I work too much less than life-size. I've found some mounting boards around 76cm x 100 cm, which is, apparently, pretty much what pastel board is. Perhaps you could look at an online art store which has more things in stock than a local art store might have.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Margaret, I can't stop staring at this portrait! His eyes certainly have a twinkle, but more than that, they are expressive of a range of thoughts and feelings. I love the way you have shown the light shining on them and through them--so transparent and alive. His whole face is alive, and your strokes and application of pastels express this life. This is such a wonderful portrait. Every time you post, your art seems to take another giant leap, and I wonder what you will come up with next. I think the idea of trying to include more of the figure (working larger) is an excellent one. It would be interesting to see how hand gestures, position, posture, etc., relate to these wonderful facial expressions.

[Margaret Ferguson]

Thank you so much Alexandra for your comments, makes me want to go straight to the easel and stretch myself further!
I think the next move has to be the figure, or at least half a figure with hands; I'll see what happens anyway.