"Mary Praying"/after the mastor painting...

[CRYork]

This is based on "The Virgin in Prayer", by Sassoferrato, an oil painting done in the 1600's (1640-1650). I found the reference in Sister Wendy's "1,000 Masterpieces". This was harder than I thought it would be, but I got a lot of practice doing folds!

It is a 5x7, and took 7-8 hours to complete. C&Cs welcome...it hasn't been sprayed with fixative yet.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Nov-2008/70412-img055.jpghttp://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Nov-2008/70412-img056.jpg

Char

[Peanut Butter]

Great job on this, especially on the fabric! You are becoming a real pro at those folds! The only thing I would change is maybe adding more darks and shadows.

[Judibelle]

Oh Char...it's absolutely beautiful. Almost looks like a statue...I just love it
JB

[Lady Carol]

Oh Char, you have almost nailed it, the caveat seems to be the lack of shadows as Peanut said.

[CRYork]

Where would you add more shadows, Carol and Laura? Are you speaking about making the shadows darker on the face? I can see, now that you mention it, that the head garment could use some more shadows on it.

I was going to try to match the blues, but I couldn't figure out the right combination. I think I could go darker on the orange colors, too. I used peach and mineral orange, but I think I will try a darker orange.

I was thinking I should add some eyelashes, too, but I am so afraid of messing it up. I guess I should give it a try, though. I do see some in the reference photo.

I had a horrible time trying to get the hands right!

JB, thanks for your compliments.

I like the result I got on the whole drawing, but I know it does need some punch!

Char

[Lady Carol]

Where would you add more shadows, Carol and Laura? Are you speaking about making the shadows darker on the face? I can see, now that you mention it, that the head garment could use some more shadows on it.

Char, see how dramatic the shadows are on the face, hands and folds of the cloth. You have everything there, it just needs to be beefed up a little bit. JMO

[Candle]

The crop is awesome, the face is lovely, the folds are graceful, and the hands look great! I think your drawing is very accurate. I agree that all you need to do is take all of your shadows and make them much stronger. Then you will have more of a 3-D feel, and it will be perfect!

[AnnGarlough]

Char, this is one of my favorites so far! You just keep getting better and better!

I sent you a PM (or attempted to :o ). Not sure where it went, but if you don't get it please let me know!

[CRYork]

Thank you all for your suggestions about the shadows, and I have worked on it, and I think it looks better. I am glad I posted it, because I would have accepted it "as is", and now I have taken it a bit further.

Ann, I received your PM and have sent you a message in return. Thanks for your kind comments about my drawing. If this doesn't sell at the show, I will give this to my Catholic friend, after I make many copies of it!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Nov-2008/70412-img057.jpg
I darkened the shadows on her face and on the head cover, and I darkened the orange....and I put in some eyelashes! What do you think?

Char

[Elen]

This is just beautiful ! :clap::clap::clap::clap:I liked the first version,but when you deepened the shadows I like it even more ! Absolutely great job, doubt,although, your friend will get it as a present, because it surelly will sell at the show. :)

[TessDB]

Well done, Char!

Now, you could leave it as-is and call it a success. But I'm gonna nudge you to go just a bit more, just a smidge bit further with the shadows.

I hope you don't mind, I went ahead and pulled your images into photoshop (I would've asked, but I'm out the door soon & didn't want to leave you hanging like the last time! :o )...

So here's yours in greyscale & the ref (I tried to get the two images closer in size to each other)

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Nov-2008/46497-CMary.jpg

Do you see how deep the shadows on her face are? How dynamic and dramatic they make the image?

Now here's yours fiddled slightly-- I upped the contrast on it... do you see how it gives a bit more *ooomph* to yours? Just in the shadows... changing the contrast goofed up her eyebrows! :eek:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Nov-2008/46497-CMary3.jpg

Hope this helps!
Rosemary

[CRYork]

Elen, thanks so much for all the applause! My friend will get a copy if this sells!

Rosemary, I so appreciate your efforts to push me further, but I put 3 coats of fixative on this last night. I guess I should have waited, but I was pretty happy with it. I can see what you mean, though, about the darker shadows punching it up even more. I did actually try to go darker, and the darker I went, the more it looked like mud! So, I had to lighten it up again with a white pencil, so it wouldn't look so dirty.

Thanks for your efforts, Rosemary. Always feel free to do your grayscale thing...you don't need my permission.

Char

[RBArt]

Wonderful job Char! I always love seeing your work. Keep it up!

[GoldenArt]

Char, This is really good work. The greyscale Rosemary did for you, show cased just how good this is. Seeing the two, side by side, I had to grin at how well you did this work. The folds of the material are excellant. I remember not too long ago you stated that was a problem area for you, not any more. Good to see your work. Rick

[Mr Leal]

Regarding the shadows, I'm not sure if it works with coloured pencil, but with pastels one thing to try is using toned paper, in this case black. Then instead of darkening whites you'd be adding in the light. It works well for dark works.

That said, very nice work, congrats.

[NancyPH]

Hey Char!! You did great on this! I do agree with Tess in trying to push you further along on the shadows, but I also understand that you have sprayed it now and can't change anything. Just keep in mind that it is the contrast in values that makes a picture POP! Her hands especially and her face are begging to be popped. So, just take this info with you for your next picture. I know you can do it. You're quite good, and I know if we annoy you enough about pushing the values you'll eventually get sick enough of us to push yourself to do it simply to shut us up. :D It took me two years before I finally gave in and started trying to push the values further (and shut people up about it :D ). I still have trouble with values but I'm getting better, and I know one day you'll say "the heck with it" and just give it a go and really push it! I really like this picture a lot!! :clap:

Also, I'm really glad you showed us the ref pic. I love it and I think I might do it too for the practice of doing drapery. It's a fantastic ref pic!! Nice choice. Might you be able to give me a link to where you got it?

[brynmr]

Excellent method of learning Char! You're doing well. Keep it up.

[pinkrybns]

Also, I'm really glad you showed us the ref pic. I love it and I think I might do it too for the practice of doing drapery. It's a fantastic ref pic!! Nice choice. Might you be able to give me a link to where you got it?Hi Nancy,

You can find the piece here on the Nat'l Gallery of Art (London) site.
"The Virgin in Prayer" Sassoferrato (http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects.dll/CollectionPublisher.woa/wa/largeImage?workNumber=NG200&collectionPublisherSection=work)

If you have Java script enabled, you can use the zoom tool.

[Peanut Butter]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Great job, Char! Deepening those shadows really brought this to life!

[CRYork]

Ron and Rick, thanks for the kind comments on my work. Yes, Rick, folds always were a problem....now, all of a sudden, it just came to me. Even after I read Sandra Angelo's instructions for doing folds, I was still having trouble, but then, I finally got it.

Hello, Mr. Leal. I have not seen you on the cp forum before, but thank you for your input. I am just starting to use some colored papers, but I haven't tackled black yet. Thanks for taking a look at this piece!

Nancy, I seem to be doing better with the values on my portraits, but for some reason, on this piece, I didn't put the darks in first, which is what I had started doing. Then I had the problem of the shadows looking "muddy". Maybe I will do this again someday.

I got this ref from a book, Sister Wendy's 1,000 Masterpieces...but, feel free to right click on the image of the ref and copy it to your gallery, and use it. I am going to be trying to sell copies of this at the art and craft show tomorrow. I've been working all day, putting my drawings and copies of them into frames. I'm wore out!

Edit: Wow, I missed 3 posts while I was typing this. Tommy, thanks for your vote of confidence on this piece. Thanks for checking back on this, Laura! Judy, I hadn't seen your post about how Nancy could find the ref. Thanks for doing that! You're good at finding things!

Char

[fleming13]

Char, from someone who likes to draw hands, they look very good! :clap: I get hit with the push the values comment a lot when I xposted in wildlife. They are usually right too. Now I hear voices when I draw, "Push the values!" :lol: Keep in mind also that when this is seen solo noone will really know the difference. It will just look more like it is lit from the front than just from the left like the original. In some ways your piece looks more stylized overall, which works very well with this subject. :thumbsup: I really need to break out my CP's again.

[Scott Daryn Tillett]

Hi Char...I applaud your willingness to learn and to improve. You have improved allot over your last few works. Keep it up. In the future though before you start a piece, really study your subject inside and out. Draw studies of it. Study every line and every form. The blue that you see in her cloths probably has many other colors intermingled in it to give it more life and unity. A color by itself is flat. Values are everything!
Keep up the great work,
Scott

[CRYork]

Thanks for your comments, Jason. I don't like to draw hands!! Up until a couple of months ago, the hands I drew were always too small, and the fingers looked like stubs, and I never could get the shapes of the knuckles right, or get the shading right. I didn't do too bad on these, I guess! I drew my own hand from life for the "sketching from life" thread last week...I think that helped on these.

Hi, Scott! It's good to see you on the forum again! You have such a nice way of telling me what I am doing wrong! It always helps to have a little sugar with the vinegar! Thanks for taking the time to help me improve my work!! I hope we see more of you on here.

Char

[joannd]

Char,
I just have to chime in and say this is absolutely gorgeous. The addition of more shadows and darker values made it even better. I understand only too well about not wanting to mess it up. Your friend will cherish it I'm sure, even a print.

I have this reference on one of my calendars and every once in a while look longingly at it wanting to try it. I'm not not good at portraits...

Thank you so much for posting this.
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
JoAnn

[gdaniel]

Nice work, Char! Of the pieces I've seen of yours, I think this is the best yet.

Greg

[CRYork]

JoAnn, thanks for your generous compliments. My friend did love it, and she even bought my lunch the day of the art and craft show...dessert, too!!

Thanks so much, Greg, for that nice comment. Does that include my portraits, too? I kind of liked the "Lamb of God" piece before I did before I did this one. It is sitting on my coffee table right now!

This was really kind of easy to do, since I was just following the Master! It is not a perfect likeness in the face, but I don't think it matters that much...no-one really knows what Mary looked like!

Char

[kennychaffin]

Well done!

[Fiskaa]

Job very well done! I like it :thumbsup:

[CRYork]

Thanks, Kenny and Chris! I'm glad you like it!

Char

[fawnridge-art]

Hi Char! :wave:
I like the colors, the folds look great. I think that compared to the master's version, yours just has a softer look to it. Very well done, over all. :clap:

[CRYork]

Thanks, Kathy! I can't believe I am finally learning to do folds after struggling with them for so long. This was good practice!

Char