Rylan's Reflection - need C&Cs, please

[Mstechart]

Hi everyone,

Many of you have provided me terrific support lately and I want to thank you once again. I started this piece a while back on Pastelbord and totally trashed it. Started it over and I realized I've been off on my values -- you all that provided me support and encouragement know how I've been struggling. I've followed your advice and have been sketching other pieces -- that has really helped me! But now I just want to finish this piece and get it out of my life :eek: So, I'm asking for some C&Cs to help me get this finished -- I realize I still have some values off (his back, his chin) and have to complete work on his hand and arm (have really just begun those parts). There is still something about his mouth -- didn't I read that in a PastelJournal somewhere -- that a portrait is something wrong with the mouth? HA! Anyway -- please provide "gentle" guidance (yea, I've suffered so much on this one already -- I've learned alot through this pain and I think that's why I want to finish it and move on to something else). Thanks as always -- I love this group!!!


I had to do attachments as the upload just wasn't working :(

[Mary Brigid]

Sandie... I think you have done very well.... I would have huge trouble tackling something like this. I have yet to do a portrait. I wonder Sandie is the background colour in the mirror a little too harsh? It seems to distract from baby. The babies eyes are beautiful. He is a real cutie and you have got the likeness very well. Btw I do the same as you.... I always have little testers on the side of the page.
Mary Brigid

[helenh]

This is a beauty. What a little charmer! If you see something wrong with the mouth, it may be that it is slanted down to one side. In the reference photo it isn't. I agree with Mary about the color in the mirror. It's difficult enough doing a child's portrait, but you tackled it from the front and from behind. Well done.

[Devonlass]

I'm no expert on portraits...... never done one in my life. But, the first thing I noticed is that the mouth in your painting is slanted down and in the photograph it is pretty straight, and the other thing I saw was that his eyes are a lot bluer than in your photo. I also think that the eyes are a bit misaligned. Try dragging each picture to the very bottom of your screen and lining up the eyes with the straight edge of the monitor and you can see a difference. I love the little hand pressed up against the mirror.

Hope this helps. (It's still better than anything I could do!)

[Mstechart]

Mary: Yes I agree about the mirror background but at this point I'm not sure what color I could put on top to tone it down -- any suggestions on color? I would hate to try to brush all that off -- I would prefer to add something on top to tone it....suggestions????

Helen and Carol -- yep -- I noticed the mouth as soon as I posted these pictures -- amazing how taking a picture lets you see things.

Carol -- I think there is a little something off on the eyes -- I think I need more slant between iris and white -- also I still have some tone to place in the brow above his left eye. I purposely did the blue as the photo toned that down but I know this little boy and in life he has some awesome blue eyes. I may still darken them a bit more though.

If anyone can offer advice on a color I could add to the mirror background to tone it down I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks for your time and guidance!!!!!

[Tom Behnke]

Better artists have offered advice, and portraits are to me as calculus is to lizards, so I will just say 'how did you get that skin so smooth???" Wow.

[DAK723]

This is coming along great! You are being way to hard on yourself!

The only values that catch my eye as being a bit off are his earlobe (could be a touch darker) the reflected light on his back (a couple touches darker), and the back of his near arm and shoulder (a touch darker - closer to the shadow value on his back).

I wouldn't even worry about the color in the mirror until you add color on the walls, so that you can see them together.

Again, this is looking great!

Don

[Mstechart]

Thanks Don. Great pointers.

About that wall -- I was thinking about leaving the color of the papers (Wallis Belgian Mist) as is.

What color would you suggest on the "wall"?

I'm still looking for some advice on color to add to the mirror as I really agree with Mary's comment about it looking too stark. Do you think adding a lighter value lavender would work?

[PETE K]

I sure think your doing a great job on this one so far.

[Mstechart]

Thanks Pete. I'm working this evening to fix that mouth, some values, and mirror background (I hope). Hopefully next shot will be even better.

You all inspire me so much!

[Mstechart]

I "THINK" I'm done -- but will await C&Cs from this group. I've fixed several things identified earlier and TRIED to work on the mirror background. I really would like to leave the "wall" the belgian mist paper unless someone in this group has a better suggestion.

Please let me know your advice -- I would love to finish this in the next few days and turn it over to the hubby to frame and finally deliver by end of week -- Rylan's grandma will be pleased -- I hope.

[Mstechart]

I received some advice from portrait group and made some more tweaks. Thought I would post the final in case anyone here wants to see -- I'm done, it's off the easel
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/23-Mar-2010/209338-Rylan_final.JPG

[robertsloan2]

The final is great! Agree with the Belgian Mist "wall" since that works so well and looks so natural with it. Toning down the blue really helped it, now it just looks like the glass of the mirror is cooling the distant reflected wall rather than that the wall behind him is cobalt blue. He looks great, you really got the likeness and this is a clever portrait!

[Mstechart]

Thanks Robert!!!!

[Dcam]

Wow!!!! you nailed it! YESSSSS. very very nice. Derek
:clap:

[juliajane]

Gorgeous!!

[Mstechart]

Folks -- I just had to share the "delivery experience" of this portrait. I delivered the framed piece to Rylan's Grandma today and the entire office just went nuts! Rylan's Grandma just cried and said she just could not believe how beautiful it was and how perfect. NOW if GRANDMA says its perfect -- then it's pretty darn close! :-)

She even called me again just now to go on and on about how she has carried it every where -- even to the bank! -- to show everyone. She said she is taking it home to show family and then bringing it back to show customers :-) She works in our local government Treasurer's office and it's tax time HA! She told me that she could never express how much it means to her and if I ever needed anything to just call!

Boy -- does this make it worth everything or not??????

[Ruthie57]

Lovely finish! You worked it through and improved it with every step!

[Nansketch]

Great finish, glad it worked out.

Nancy

[DAK723]

Nice finish - glad Grandma loved it!

Don

[bnoonan]

What a treat! When I first looked at it with the photo, I wasn't so sure.
But then when I looked at the final painting - apart from the others, I realized it's just a delightful painting!

Very cool! Barb