"Duke"

Mike McCarty · 07-06-2002, 08:57 PM

This is Duke, 15 x 12 o/c. I am still messing with the color. I will post the photo following.

Mike McCarty · 07-06-2002, 09:00 PM

Photo of Duke.

Renee Price · 07-07-2002, 01:58 PM

Hi Mike, or should I say the "Prince of Darkness"

You've done a good job so far! Here are the nit-picky things I noticed: on the left eye (my left) if you placed a bit more shadow on the corner of the eye below the eyebrow, it would help the eye to recede more. Both eyebrows need to be a little thicker and the highlight in the right eye is a little too light. And it looks like the area between the nose and upper lip is a little too long. (Maybe the nose needs to be bigger?)

You've got a good start to an excellent portrait. I'm looking forward to your choices of colors. The photo has beautiful areas of violet in the shadows.

I hope this helps.
Renee Price

Tom Martinez · 07-07-2002, 02:56 PM

Mike, I wouldn't work with color yet. You seem to be on the right track. However, I would enlarge the photo to the size of the drawing. Then, get a piece of acetate and trace the features from the photo. Then, lay the acetate over the drawing to check it for alignment. Then, once the alignment has been checked and corrected. I would concentrate on the values of dark and light. Once this has been corrected to your liking, then, concentrate on color. Good luck.

Mike McCarty · 07-07-2002, 07:51 PM

I've been contacted by a fellow who claims ownership to the name "Prince of Darkness." I've since decided to turn over all claims and patent rights to him, no charge.

I think Duke could benefit from a bigger nose. And a few other adjustments as well.

Jeanine Jackson · 07-08-2002, 03:22 PM

An absorbing piece. There is an "air-brushed" quality to this that seems to portray your subject in an angelic version of the earthy original. My comment would be to "rough him up" a tad. I see a variety of textures begging to be captured. I look forward to watching progress incorporating terrific comments already made. He's going to love this!

Timothy C. Tyler · 07-08-2002, 03:38 PM

Anything we say is depending upon our monitors and that's not real reliable. If I squint at the photo, I see the shadows at the forehead happening earlier (from the light) and I see softer, deeper shadows along the neckline and into the collar area. The nose shadow is also nearly as dark as the side of the face, if my monitor is close.

Debra Norton · 07-08-2002, 04:52 PM

Mike,

I'll add my humble opinion to the rest: I see the left (my left) edge of his forehead going up in more of a straight line before it curves in. And I see his cheek area around the mouth rounding out more than you've stated it.

Mike McCarty · 07-08-2002, 05:42 PM

All good points. I will try and make the corrections you've noted. Some have already been caught. Regarding the point about roughing him up: I think this could be a really good roughed up piece. I wish I could do it. I try and try and I just can't seem to let it go. For now it seems beyond my level of incompetency.

Timothy C. Tyler · 07-08-2002, 07:37 PM

Mike,

I have a thought about that, "roughing up". I sometimes force myself to do this by using tons of pigment. At this point you have worked out most of the visual questions of the work. You can now mix up about 3 times as much pigment as you think you will need of precisely the colors that you have also already established. Having tons of the right color before you and knowing that so much is already done may liberate you and help enable you to this task. Just a thought.