Morgan-(trying something different)

[Anonymous]

MY IMAGE(S):
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/upload_spool/09-06-2004/29065_MorganSMface.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/upload_spool/09-06-2004/29065_MorganSM.jpg


GENERAL INFORMATION:
Title: Morgan-(trying something different)
Year Created: 2004
Medium: Oil
Surface: Canvas
Dimension: 20x16
Allow digital alterations?: Yes!

MY COMMENTS:
Trying to get away from over-blending.

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP:
Painted over an old canvas. Am I succeeding. Am looking for a looser style.

[Dana Design]

By the way, this is a study (and not a very good one) after Morgan Weistling, one of my favorite artists. Used a lot of artistic license here.

[Spyderbabe]

I checked out Morgan Weistling to see where you're headed ( His stuff just glows doesn't it?) and I do see what you want to do. I think you're loose enough :angel: , not over worked at all. Keep at this and work your warms tones and lights. Looking good!
Kathleen

[Dana Design]

I checked out Morgan Weistling to see where you're headed ( His stuff just glows doesn't it?) and I do see what you want to do. I think you're loose enough :angel: , not over worked at all. Keep at this and work your warms tones and lights. Looking good!
Kathleen

Thanks, Spydie. I mistakenly hit the Anon. button! duh.

I'm still working on it. Also realized her nose is way too long.

[haaf]

Dana D. (and how are you doing?)
Checked out Weistling too, he seems to be doing pretty well.
Difficult job, I would suggest try to avoids whites as much as possible.
Maybe glazing?(turp-linseed oil-damar varnish) That's tough too and takes a lot of time ,however I always like the depth in color you can create that way
Caroline ;)

[DeusExMachina]

I see where you're going with this.
As far as I'm concerned your colour palette is correct and it exudes the same atmosphere as Weistlings paintings.
What you might want to consider if you want to paint in Weistlings style is less blending of colours. Some highlights on his work are a single brush stroke.
Wish you the best of luck ;)

[Michael-Ann]

Hi Dana! You are really doing a great job of incorporating Weistling's influences into this work!!! I checked out the website, I love the demo...His comments at the end of the "Bunny" demo made me smile.

This painting is turning out awesome, the eyes are great! I wanna see an update... (pushy gal that I am ;))

[Dana Design]

Caroline, sweetie, Hi! I'm doing just fine! And you? One day we'll meet!
Now, why do you suggest not using white? And I do think that once I'm finished with this, I will glaze in a burnt sienna to see if I can get that Weistling "look". I'll post an update later today.

Deus...Love that name! Are you also a thespian? A deus ex machina is a "piece of business" contemporaneous to what's happening while the dialogue is being spoken onstage. I'm a well retired thespian with the exception of summer stock these days. At any rate, yes, I'm trying my darndest to get away from the blending. But, it's so difficult. I painted this over a really horrible sunset scene without gessoing first thus the blues and reds and yellows are showing through the flesh tones. What a happy accident...stroke of luck, in a way. NOW, I can see why it's almost essential to include blues/greens/yellows in the flesh tones. A cool AHA!

Michael-Ann, dearie, thanks for the kind words. It's not close to being "there" yet but wow, what a great learning experience. I love Weistling! Isn't he great? I haven't ck'd out the demo but will now!

[haaf]

[QUOTE=Dana Design]
Now, why do you suggest not using white?

Cause I thought (might be my monitor)I discovered already lots of whites in the skin tones.
Caroline;)

[Dana Design]

[QUOTE=Dana Design]
Now, why do you suggest not using white?

Cause I thought (might be my monitor)I discovered already lots of whites in the skin tones.
Caroline;)

True, Caroline.....she's beginning to look like a cadaver.

[haaf]

True, Caroline.....she's beginning to look like a cadaver.

LOL , good crazy sentence, suppose someone just dropped in and read that line, must thinking we are a bunch of weirdo's
Caroline ;)

[jbitzel]

I think everyone makes the noses too long :D glad I'm not alone

[HRobinson]

Hi. Generally the corners of the mouth will line up with the pupils of the eyes no matter how the head is turned.

You call it "over blending" ... I call it "over working" ... while others call it "making mud." A friend of mine calls it "trying to paint the barn" and it'd be funny if it weren't so true most of the time. :)

You might consider the "no blending whatsoever" method or a sienna underpainting where blending is actually a constructive thing.

It's an excellent attempt. I appreciated how you tried to keep the background from approximating the hair by using that red streak. Even though you failed in that attempt, trying beats not knowing any day.

Best. -Harry

[Mikey]

Dana, I'm like James, glad not to be the only one painting long noses. I've just had to rub a lot of my painting out with turps. I like your fresh colours, cool highlights and the warms. I'm wanting to blend less as well. Now I use oils the answer may be to have premixed colours ready on the palette and clean brushes ready. But there's still some kind of niggle in me that has to mess with a good brush stroke and spoil it.

Mikey

[shirleyq]

Weistling is certainly a master. His edges are incredibly soft to point that they almost disappear. When viewing his work I get the sense that he never goes back over anything........... :rolleyes: oh, to be able to do that! I really love your treatment of the lips, and you are right about the blues and greens. I am struggling with the skin tones on a current painting.....I will try to apply this lesson. :)

[Dana Design]

Well, here's an update.

Thanks, everybody!

[henrik]

(We posted at the same time... so this refers to the first version.)

You got lots of good comments already, so hard to add much...
But look at the anatomy of the head again - to me it looks like you managed to get her right side appear longer than her left side (?).

[Dana Design]

[QUOTE=haaf]LOL , good crazy sentence, suppose someone just dropped in and read that line, must thinking we are a bunch of weirdo's
Caroline ;)

ummmmm, they could be right! :p

[henrik]

Hm, people do come in different shapes, but isn't her chin to short, and nose still too long (and eyes too high)? I played with it a little bit too see what it looks like if her right side comes down a bit, chin was a bit longer, and eyes lower...
Light seems a bit inconsistent - I can't quite make the twinkle in her eyes match up with the rest of the lighting...

[Dana Design]

Henrik, my dear! Thanks for the crit! Well, your rendering looks more like the "normal" face I'm trying to achieve. I'm still working on this and have shortened the nose even more and this aft. will lengthen the chin. I'm going to work <from> the eyes down. Don't want to do those over again. Thinking I can jiggy her hairline.

As for the light source, I believe it's coming from the right top of the painting. You're right about the eye highlights. I don't know where to put them. help.

So, guess what? I wrote to Morgan Weistling and he wrote directly back. What a guy! He said some nice things about my paintings, said that I had the heart and soul of an artist (he's very religious...if he only knew!) and also said I need to draw more from life. I couldn't have been more excited. Go fish, Tom Cruise! :p

[artbabe21]

Dana dearie.......this elfin looking girl/woman is charming. such plump delicious lips! I see the anatomy different than perfection but she's quite lovely and I find myself drawn to the painting.

Of course you have the heart & soul of an artiste! :wink2: So kind of Mr.Wrestling to write you...:) LUCKY!

[SMViolano]

I will need to look up your reference- but I love where you are going with this. the expression is wonderful. Is the mouth meant to be mis-aligned? I ask because it looks good that way and may be part of the style you are portraying.

The eyes are intriguing- so simple yet so deep...

[Dana Design]

I will need to look up your reference- but I love where you are going with this. the expression is wonderful. Is the mouth meant to be mis-aligned? I ask because it looks good that way and may be part of the style you are portraying.

The eyes are intriguing- so simple yet so deep...

Yes, jiggy lips are us! Stella, I could post the reference but my painting looks nothing like the Weistling from which I *studied*. My problem is that I keep working on this painting and I fear I'm blowing it! Weistling's website is:
http://www.morganweistling.com/ . I hope it's ok to post this here. I'm currently quite freaked about copyright stuff.

Here's the ref: Anastasia by Morgan Weistling (copyright)

[ErinMcHale]

I admire you for making a *study* of this! WOW- really fantastic- and you have gotten the feel of it already!

[artbabe21]

I love how soft his edges are and the looseness of his work...he's certainly someone to aspire to. Reminds me of a Fechin-Schmid! His last one man show completely sold out!! woohoo!
Thanks Dana for the link! This one is lovely, good choice to emulate!

[Dana Design]

Erin, and Cath! I'm going to start another today, same painting or perhaps another. Yes, Weistling is really so very good! I've asked him for info on his workshops and the pennies are going into the jar.

Oddly enough, my recent watercolor portraits are painted loosely but I can't seem to get that to happen in oil. I need someone here to smack my hand and scream STOP BLENDING! :wink2:

Oh, and isn't Fechin's work wonderful! Schmid's also although a bit too dark for me now. He's still a master, tho'.

[Dana Design]

Blended to death. Just defeated the purpose of this exercise.

[Mikey]

Dana, please be encouarged at this time. You have tried something new to you and the whole point here is what you have learnt in the process. I think your answer now is to think very definitely before each stroke of the brush and be very clear before hand what you want. In that way each brush stroke will make its own statement.

Me too. That's how I know. :)

Mikey

[artbabe21]

Dana.....I still like her & she is improved.....changing the way we tend to over blend takes practice! Now try again & don't be so hard on yourself. :wink2:
It's a lovely portrait!

[Dana Design]

Mikey and Cath, thanks for your encouragment! There are days when, I suppose, we regress. This is one of those days.

Tomorrow will be a better painting day! For everyone! And if this is all I have to worry about, I'm thankful!

[DeusExMachina]

Dana: From time to time I boast about my eloquence in the English language, but I had to look up the word thespian. :p I'm not one of them. I've rarely even attempted acting, let alone made a living out of it. That would be some career change too!
I just like the DeusExMachina concept of playwriting. The nickname was the first thing that popped in my head.