Best Friends

[claudiastrader]

MY IMAGE(S):
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/upload_spool/08-09-2002/7944_small_alan.gif


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/10-Aug-2002/7944_head_of_alan.jpg


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/upload_spool/08-09-2002/7944_alan_001.jpg


GENERAL INFORMATION:
Title: Best Friends
Year Created: 2002
Medium: Oil Pastel
Surface: Board
Dimension: 30x40
Allow digital alterations?: Yes!

MY COMMENTS:
This was done on a full sheet of illustration board and I am attempting to learn how to do portraits and especially capture a likeness. Painting was done from a photo I took of my son and our dog, Benson

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP:
Is the background too bright? How about the placement of the figures? While the oil pastels (portfolio series) were difficult to use, blend, I am wondering about their long lasting qualities. Will they ever dry? Any comments would be so much appreciate on my first piece that I am submitted to this group

[Carol Lois]

Claudia Strader,
Thank you for posting your portrait, which has a pleasing composition to it, expressing calm friendship very well. The only negative comment I want to offer, something I hope you can fix for the sake of a very nice piece overall, is that the camera has increased the size of the leg with bent knee with its distorting effect.
...I don't know if you can make it smaller or not, but it would help if you could lighten the values in both the leg and the shorts. Their values are so strong (at least as seen in your photo) that they detract. The rest of the image is much more important than that leg, it seems to me.
Keep up the good work!
Carol Lois

[Christine Mallaband]

Hi, just looked at your oil pastel, one thought is about your sons face, the line where the arm of his spectacles runs is very obvious, but notwhere the actual glass is. At first I thought that it was a scanning error. The other is his left leg there is a little light shining just on the top of his thigh in the photo. I know that you have simplified and changed the colour of his shorts, but I think a little light there would define the shape more.
Oil Pastels are difficult to use and it may not be possible to amend the glasses without spoiling the overall effect, possibly you could loose them altogether?
Ive tried adjusting the image on photoshop, its very pixilated but I hope you get what I mean,

Oil Pastels will "dry" slightly because the oils sink into the paper, someimes you can go back and work on it later because it has sort of set. I dont know the actual explanation for what is happening though, I would have to ask an expert (or a chemist!)
Hope these comments are OK!
Chris M-B

[Christine Mallaband]

was trying to post image when someone phoned and I lost the line- here goes again!
CMB

[champagneharley]

A lovely and daring work to attempt, the really, really good parts are the arms and hands you have done them exceedingly well, and the dog, these need no real alteration.
I do have a problem with the background, but not overly sure what you should do, other than to tone it down a bit. I coloured it, just to show you something different, not suggesting that is what you should do though.
I found that the shorts needed more definition, light and shadow to them if you want to compare. Sorry I'm not good with my graphic program, but if you compare the differences you should be OK.
I liked suggesting some of the seat, rather than none. I added more light to the knees and the top part of the top leg, as well as adding more colour than shadow to the side of the leg. I think you will find a lot more definition to the bottom of your rendition, and makes it more life like. I added more light to elbow by dog, and arm across chest. I darkened and extended the chest shadow, and think this adds much more definition to the shapes.
I took away the reflected shadow on neck, chin and t-shirt by neck. I like what you've done with the shirt, it looks great.
My graphic program wouldn't allow me to refine the detail on the face. Basically. take away chin relected light, deepen the smile & corner of mouth. Shadow under nose, and on base of nose. Light brighly reflected on nose. Take away some of the reflection on cheek, only a little under glasses. Add a line for glasses to far side. Reshape son's head at rear. And modify the forehead light patch.

[champagneharley]

As I said, it's difficult for me to use my graphic program. Getting a likeness of someone is so elusive sometimes.
What I've done with the 'close up', firstly was to add a little more ginger to the dog's mouth area, and some whiter highlighting to your son's hand. As stated previous, darkened the t-shirt neck. Took away reflected shadow on neck and chin. Reshaped your son's head at the back, and added a bit more 'light' to the mid back part. Defined the glasses to the fartherest side.
Even though your photo defines a light 'lump' on the forehead into the hair line, I've softened it, as I think it's more natural looking. I've taken some of his cheek colour into his ear to make it 'flow' better. I took his cheek 'highlighting' up higher to the side, and added a spot of brighter colour under his glasses. The main difference was light highlighting on his nose.
I've darkened his smile, but that and the corner of his mouth could be darkened a bit more. Shadow under nose (top lip) as well as on the bottom of the nose, too.
I darkened most of his cheek, to what it was.
I think you should see most of what I did, if you compare the two.
To get likenesses is difficult and observation powers come into play so much comparing minute differences. And even adjusting small things from photos (like forehead) for a better overall image & likeness. Photos aren't ALWAYS the best reference. :)
You've done a great job. I am just TRYING to help you see MORE. Hope I've helped. I can sense your determination to succeed. I wish you well.
Regards,
Jillian

[champagneharley]

Sorry, have gone to great depths here. So here's one more, the shape of your son's head/hair, needs the slightest adding to above forehead, and from fringe (bang) add a slight bit more, to past the receeding part. It may be the angle the photo was taken at, but I find your son has a longer face than portrayed, and some of this is definitely in the hair. If you're not sure what I mean, ask, and I'll have a go at it.
Wishing you well, sorry to hog this thread.
Regards,
Jillian