Friday live

[tammy]

I can't do portraits very well and still learning but this is very good. I know that her head is tilted but her nose seems to not be in the curve with the rest of the features. Don't know how to explain that. Anyway, Keep it up and you'll be there in no time.

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Don't worry, its gonna be all right....
Tammy's Home for Artists (http://tammy.artistnation.com)

[Shirl]

No expert here, since I've done 1 portrait, but this looks wonderful to me. Eyes and mouth are super, nice simple blouse so to not distract from the portrait. Beautiful.

Shirl

[Suz]

I am still practicing portraits. This is pastel on canson paper, starting with a live model. I ran out of time and finished it in my studio without the model.

I would like to hear some feedback, critique, and opinions, let me know what you think.

<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-Mar-2001/FridayLive.jpg" border=0>


[This message has been edited by Suz (edited March 25, 2001).]

[wendee]

no expert here either..i have started doing pastel portraits and i really like this....love the way you did her hair...looks real flowie and soft.. well done http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Suz]

Thanks for your comments. I really appreciate the feedback. I also think there is something askew, I am going to try moving the left eye down a little. I believe then the line connecting the eyes will be at a right angle with the nose.

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Suz.

[Robert]

Good work, Suz! Lovely skin tones!

[bbbilly1326]

Use the old trick of looking at it in the mirror; any mistakes will be obvious.

Bill

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Bill
"Paintings are never finished, only abandoned" (source unknown)
index.html (http://hamiltoncarroll.homestead.com)

[Suz]

Or even more extreme, look at it in the mirror, up side down :-)


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Suz.

[LDianeJohnson]

Hi Suz,

Nice piece. You have captured the character of the model, particularly in the eyes. It would be helpful to see the model to comment more accurately. However, two things I see that may or may not apply.

I don't know if it is the scan, but there is a great deal of blue in the face/neck which grays down her skin tones more than would be natural. To correct, just graze over the grayed areas very lightly with warmer tones of the same value.

The other thing is a naturally occurring distortion we all create and have to correct for. That is, we tend to put one eye in higher than the other. The eye to the right seems to be positioned higher than what would be natural for the model. To see this more clearly, face a mirror holding your painting facing the mirror as well. Look at it for awhile and see the one eye higher (or lower than the other). It is an easy adjustment. Once you identify which side you tend to do this on you can adjust while painting on subsequent portraits.

You've handled the nose, mouth and hair very well.

Diane

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L. Diane Johnson (http://www.LDianeJohnson.com/) NAPA, PSA
2001/2002 Plein Air Workshops (http://www.LDianeJohnson.com/workshops/)