Portrait Gallery -- May 2011

[Lauren F-M]

What's on your easel (or in your sketchbook) this month?

Show a finished portrait or one in any stage of progress (WIP = Work in Progress). This thread is for showcasing your work; others will only critique your work if you request it.

So please show us what you've been up to this month. We'd love to see it. :D

If you welcome Comments and/or Critique, let us know when you post (ie: "Cs & Cs welcome")

Even if you have already shown it in the main portraiture forum, you are invited to showcase it in this thread, also, as this thread will remain in the Library Archives. (Portrait Swap WIP shots most welcome, too! Also Self-portraits... anything portrait)

And be sure to check out previous Portrait Galleries in the Archives. Lots of great work in there!

So... let's get those portraits set up in the gallery.... :clap:

[rajantsr]

50X40 CM Acrylic on Canvas.
C&C Welcome

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-May-2011/190738-Religion.jpg

[raeburn10025]

Very nice rajantsr, full of youthful energy!

Here are two recent studies of live models, one academic, and the other more spontaneous. Oil on linen. C&C welcome.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-May-2011/37710-Donna1.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-May-2011/37710-Cesar.jpg

[tomasis]

raeburn, I love all of your works :up:

[raeburn10025]

Thank you tomasis. I appreciate your kind words!

[llawrence]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-May-2011/37710-Cesar.jpgHoly wow - that is an amazing painting. Please do more of these! I mean, do whatever moves you (but please do more of these!).

[raeburn10025]

Thanks llawrence. This was a very quick oil sketch with a palette knife. I do try to alternate between classical and experimental styles. I appreciate the feedback!

[NancyMP]

Raeburn, your spontaneity is electrifyingly vibrant.:clap: I agree with Louis: do more! I love both your styles, and it keeps you limber to go from one to another!

I finally think I'm through with doing the "Portrait of the Artist in a Flat Cap." Here are both the original and my copy. C&C welcomed and encouraged; I'll never be able to paint the Master without feeling totally inadequate!:o

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-May-2011/203830-flat_cap-WC.jpghttp://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-May-2011/203830-Flat_Cap_Rembrandt_7_001.jpg

[mtnrunner]

rajantsr, beautiful job. They make me smile!
raeburn.. wonderful stuff! I love both of them...
Nancy, wow! This came out great! Good job!!!

[rajantsr]

thanks guys.. raeburn and nancy.. bravo.. great work..

[Lauren F-M]

rajantsr, Raeburn and Nancy --

Thanks for posting your work up in the Gallery! :thumbsup:
I great variety of work to showcase the great range of portraiture! :D

[123harry]

rajantsr: lively figures and expressions
raeburn: super studies. I particularly like the youth with the blue highlights. Spontaneous and lively.
nancyMP: you've caught the contemplative expression and the colours well.

[NancyMP]

Here's the finish on my "Girl with a Pearl Wannabe:"http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-May-2011/203830-Girl_with_a_Pearl_Wannabe.jpg

[llawrence]

Absolutely wonderful job on both master studies, Nancy! :clap:

[123harry]

I'm taking a bit of a liberty here. I've uploaded versions of these to WC previously, some months ago in fact. But recently I've acquired a new monitor which has shown me how 'bleached' my previous uploads have been. I had to lighten them a lot to even see them on my old monitor! Something wrong there and I've no idea what it was.
Anyway the upshot is that I don't think anyone viewing the site has seen any of my work in anything like its true colour. hence the new postings. I hope that is OK.

First from a portrait challenge from last year....

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-May-2011/186003-WC_Blue_Lady.jpg

secondly from an All Media challenge from a long time back.....

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-May-2011/186003-WC_Rambhai.jpg

[Lauren F-M]

Nancy -- your Rembrandt and your Vermeer-revisited works are lovely! :clap:
You really caught that likeness to Rembrandt, and the Vermeer with the smile is charming! :thumbsup: Who is she? :confused:

[juliajane]

Very nice rajantsr, full of youthful energy!

Here are two recent studies of live models, one academic, and the other more spontaneous. Oil on linen. C&C welcome.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-May-2011/37710-Donna1.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-May-2011/37710-Cesar.jpg

HI Raeburn - has a quick look at your gallery - love those palette knife paintings!

[raeburn10025]

Thank you Julia. Yes my teacher wants me to do more of the palette knife studies. Thanks for the feedback!

[DonnasArt]

This is Nenita x2. I snapped these photos in a Dr's office waiting room and as you can see they are not the best. Same person-different works.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-May-2011/64015-Nenitaorgphotos.jpg
Here's the first one I did but unfortunately it is not a shot of the final (I gave it to her already, so I may have to ask for it back for a later shot!) It's too late to do anything to that one.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-May-2011/64015-lastnenitaglasses.JPG
Here's the one I'm still working on-n C& C, please. :cat: I have a problem on the cheek (viewers right) but must (when will I learn?) for it to dry completely before I work on that. I'm not happy with the background and not too thrilled with the hair. any suggestions appreciated!:heart: http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-May-2011/64015-nenita518pt.jpg

[patatje]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-May-2011/123459-resized.jpg
This is one I've done in two days.

[patatje]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-May-2011/123459-resizedurs.jpg This is a portrait of a friend that I'm still working on, in oils.

[123harry]

patatje: I very much like these two portraits. You seem to have captured the personalities of the two subjects very well with a simple technique.

[NancyMP]

Lauren, the Vermeer Wannabee is a composite of the original Girl with a Pearl, and two references I put together. So she's really not anyone rather than something in my head.

Raeburn, your styles are both beautiful, and it's so flexible of you to be able to switch styles. Most of us can't.

Donna, you might need a touch more contrast in your portraits: you can still keep it light while using both warm and cool colors to define the depth in features. Cool recedes and warm brings forward. This isn't really a critique thread, but you asked and I obliged! Nice work!

[DonnasArt]

Thanks Nancy! I appreciate all critiques. I'm very much in learning mode. I posted here and got no comments,:o so I posted in the forum and got some;) .I'm back to re doing the later one after errors in eye alignment were pointed out. I have to learn to check references early and often, so I won't have all this re-work!:crying:

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2011/75590-0011.jpg been doing this last 2 days...almost finished with it.

[Lauren F-M]

Annemarie -- you've done a wonderful portrait! :clap:

[JohnnyK]

not quite finished yet, but this is my latest one im working on, done in acrylics
C&C please!

[enjoypainting]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2011/98408-Buble33.jpg Have not been here for some time. This is one Im working on....very much WIP.

All comments welcome [Acrylic on canvas]

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2011/75590-0030.jpg Hi Lauren...Thankyou....went too light on the last image so got out the darks again today...think it works better.

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/28-May-2011/75590-0068.jpg think i'm done with her now.

[Lauren F-M]

Stunning, Annemarie! :clap:
Is the subject a daughter of yours?

[lokeforrest]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-May-2011/123459-resized.jpg
This is one I've done in two days.

Great job for two days. I've never been able to do a portrait in only two days.

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jun-2011/75590-046.jpg another sp wip...hands still need work and then fun on the decorations.

[Oilybloke]

Lovely work all:clap:

heres a current wip im working onhttp://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Jun-2011/185744-IMG_3404.jpg

[tomasis]

betthycat, you are so good :) cannt stop looking at right side :D

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Jun-2011/75590-070.jpg
bettythecat...she'scomingalong beautifully!:thumbsup:

[saintlukesguild]

Larubia,

Oh my oh my goodness me... You just get better and better. You have surpassed the Pre-Raphelites. Trust you will tone down the blush as you work along. The blue surrounding the oval doesn't quite gel with the green surrounding the face, to my color sense, but I don't know exactly which one I would change or to what. This has stained glass window look. You are the master of painting hands.

[LGHumphrey]

Beautiful and beautiful Leigh and larubia, superb paintings.

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/75590-092.jpgthe foliage is taking forever!!!
LGHumphrey..thankyou:)
StLukesGuild....you have the ability to make me blush profusely with your praise...thankyou very much:wink2:

[GaryNorthants]

Sketches from the last week in May. Graphite, Gouache and Pastel
Best wishes
Gary

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-28-May-2011.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-mitch.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-profile-1.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-sat-1.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-Sun-29-May-2.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-Sutherland.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-Van-Cleefe.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2011/106728-Mon-1.jpg

[LGHumphrey]

Gary, especially like the one of Lee Van Cleef.

With a bit of help from Alexei Jawlensky.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Jun-2011/60616-DSC_000447.JPG

[123harry]

Bert Ferguson, Builder

Bert is a neighbour of mine. He has an amiable almost bumbling style but is a clever and skilful craftsman builder much in demand locally. This is an oil sketch from a snapshot I took of him on a tea break.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/10-Jun-2011/186003-Bert_Ferguson_builder.jpg


larubia: A very well worked composition with a strong graphic sense.
bettythecat: Arresting pose and eyes. I will be interested to see how this develops.

[raeburn10025]

Nice work 123harry!

[CandAlArt]

Lawrence, Very Picasso (minus the extra eyes, haha). Love it a lot!!!!

123harry, Everything about Bert is wonderful, colors, composition, the yellow and shadow behind the head. Just so appealing.

A lot of lovely work on this thread!

[PawtraitsFL]

Hello :wave:

I'm new to WC ;-)

I thought I would share some of my portrait work and what a fantastic community you have here on WC

Sheryl

[lokeforrest]

Hello :wave:

I'm new to WC ;-)

I thought I would share some of my portrait work and what a fantastic community you have here on WC

Sheryl

All I can say is WOW!! Amazing work.

[lokeforrest]

Hello :wave:

I'm new to WC ;-)

I thought I would share some of my portrait work and what a fantastic community you have here on WC

Sheryl

Forgot to ask...what medium are you using here?

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Jun-2011/75590-00109.jpg ...http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Jun-2011/75590-188.jpg...been messing with these two like forever....portrait painting drives me crazy

[tomasis]

larubia, you will be less crazy if you allow yourself make more loose strokes that look good from longer distance.. try it :clap: :thumbsup: :wave: (make attention for subtler shades as weaker shadows and weaker highlights)

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Jun-2011/75590-Picture17.jpg
Hi Tomasis...think you mean more like this.....done alla prima....don't find loose work very satisfying....prefer art work without visible brushmarks which is why i go crazy:lol:

[bethanyt]

I know what you mean, Annemarie- its not right until its right!

[tomasis]

Hi Tomasis...think you mean more like this.....done alla prima....don't find loose work very satisfying....prefer art work without visible brushmarks which is why i go crazy:lol:
hehe if velazquez can do that, you can do it :D my point is placing right stroke on right place. :wave: alla prima is hard to master, but it is not necessary. I think it makes me crazy when I think I placed right stroke there, so I was afraid put another stroke beside this, so I felt me constrained. Instead saying "loose" I say put millions strokes until you got right. "loose" doesnt mean loose. rather it comes from the mentality.

[123harry]

I like your alla prima portrait Larubia, but then I like all of your portraits!
I just love the fact that today we have access to so many styles, classical, romantic, strictly formal, loose you name it. We can pick and choose like kids in a sweet shop! It's what makes a forum like this so fascinating.

[larubia]

TOday i went to Birmingham art gallery to see work by the preraphaelites(cant spell)..blown away by the miniscule detail....was disconcerted by one of rossettis paintings with the hands on the portrait....the ends of the fingers looked like frogs legs to me...saw a bougereau....my head is still reeling by the attention to detail...wonderful made my whole being soar!
Think actually Tomasis we all find our own way of painting and what works for one doesn't for another....for me painting is like a game of chess for as one works on bits which one thought was alright stop working which makes it so fascinating
hi Bethany,Harry123..agree wholeheartedly with you both!
Its midnight...cant wait till morning to get painting!!!

[tomasis]

Think actually Tomasis we all find our own way of painting and what works for one doesn't for another....for me painting is like a game of chess for as one works on bits which one thought was alright stop working which makes it so fascinating

dont take me wrong! I dont care about any style, so long the picture works. All comes from the mentality whether it is borgerau or egon schiele. If I sense stiffness, I tell that. However, good luck!

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Jun-2011/75590-203.jpgfter seeing the preraphaelites musn't leave it so long before i go and see an art gallery....no longer scared of doing the tiniest detail although it takes forever.

[saintlukesguild]

So you have abandoned the decorative BG? A happy choice IMHO, since the lush sensuality of your persona is more important than anything else. And the semi-chiaroscuro of the deep red does enhance that.

Naturally I have some suggestions to offer. The directional light source is about 11 o'clock and is consistent, and [I]lushly[I] effective. Since you have no more fear of tiny details, here is a project that takes no labor and such little paint it can't even be measured. Starting at the hair part and coming our right, at the point where the hair rounds over the skull, increase the highlight a little bit. Naples yellow out of the tube (Windsor Newton that is) is probably as high as you need, if not too high. This is the easiest place to start, and will serve as a gage for any further high lights elsewhere.

Now, for tiny detail you need a need a tiny brush, like one say with a single hair. I'm not kidding. Look in your jar and see if you don't have some brushes worn down to a few hairs left on the point. Of course you do. Slide those hairs across your highlight smear on your pallet and put in a short stroke or two. Step back 6 feet and evaluate. Add more strokes - how close together or how separated is all a matter of trial and error. The essential is stroking only the apex of hair strands that should be catching straight line light from 11 o'clock. The other essential is these highlight strokes should fade fairly quickly toward the rear. The first essential is very, very few stokes will do it, in very very few places. Only the apex of light curves you already have down.

This sounds tedious. It is not. It is a very self absorbing task, and goes quickly once you get the hang of it. What happens is you gain a mysterious perceptibly of color on a basically smooth under surface that isn't apparent except in up close viewing. If you do experiment with this, you can always try the same with pink and red skin color blushes. The good news is you can always wipe it off with a rag and leave no mess, since the paint is so minuscule.

Another suggestion is tonal echo-scatter. Your hand and fingers need some heightened light that echoes the light on the shoulder and neck and face. Again just a tiny amount of light will do it. That will create better visual harmony and reinforce light is coming from 11 o'clock.

The million dollar question is, what color will that dress be?

Luke

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jun-2011/75590-237.jpg still at it.
Hi Stlukesguild...thankyou for stopping by with your suggestions...difficult for me to follow anothers suggestion..have to follow my own vision...feel it's starting to work a bit...oh and its staing a cream blouse...doesnt look right any other colour.

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/27-Jun-2011/75590-316.jpg this stupid painting...am so cross with it..calling it quits now...had all my hair cut off last week!

[Benco]

Some excellent work here.:)
Thought I'd share a double portrait I'm working on at the moment, both are soft pastels on 40 X 35cm grey pastelmat, more on this WIP can be seen here:http://bencosart.blogspot.com/2011/06/double-portrait.html


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/27-Jun-2011/973881-DSCF7216.JPG

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/27-Jun-2011/973881-DSCF7217.JPG