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  • #449801

    I believe that the blurred back ground may fit this happy family. The reference photo showed too many distractions so I tried to eliminate most of the house features and while using only 3H pencils only I may have been able to accomplish that vague effect of a background.
    I may be doing minor touches to the face of the parents, but I feel this work is done. Thank you for looking.

    #548879
    Olaf
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        Nicely done . . :thumbsup:

        [FONT="Comic Sans MS"]"God is dead." —Nietzsche

        "Nietzsche is dead." —God

        #548875

        Nicely done . . :thumbsup:

        Thank you.

        #548872

        This is awesome and they look so happy together. Smart idea to blur the non-important background house features.

        Kay

        Moderator: Watermedia, Mixed Media, Abstract/Contemporary

        #548878
        bobbymac
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            Well done Moises! I really like how you handled the background. It’s there as support but does not detract from the portraits.
            Bob

            #548876

            Bob, thank you.
            The background has always been a headache for me. I also have learned that the background could improve or ruin a portrait, either in color or black and white. So I’m trying to be careful and avoid any mistakes. Most of the times I do not put any thing behind a portrait.
            This time I did not have any choice since this was a family portrait. I copied the front of the house as the reference photo shows, and then blurred most of it around the family especially above their heads in order to put more emphasis to the base of the “piramid” and darkened its base that may imply or suggest a strong family’s bond. For that matter I have reading the drawings of the master artist Ingres who only used the faint background on his works.

            #548874
            carolkay
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                It’s finished !!! Sign and frame

                [FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Carol Sometime's failure is the opposite to success~ but sometimes failure can be the pathway to success
                #548873
                backspin
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                    I think the background works nicely. If you don’t mind a thought — most of the hands read quite bright for me, without much shading to give them form. The one that is wrapped around the dog is great — I think even just shading the others back would help pull attention to the faces rather than the hands, which for me right now compete for my attention.

                    #548877

                    I think the background works nicely. If you don’t mind a thought — most of the hands read quite bright for me, without much shading to give them form. The one that is wrapped around the dog is great — I think even just shading the others back would help pull attention to the faces rather than the hands, which for me right now compete for my attention.

                    Good observation. In fact, when we look at the actual work the girls are the main attraction and then the parents and so on. I left the hands with little values and significant contrast with their surroundings to indicate what hold them together. Also the base of the “piramid” has more contrast to indicate a good and strong base of the family, and finally the bricks between the parents that unite them even more. This portrait has a significant symbolism for this family which is very united in all forms. This work is going to be a gift to them.
                    Thank you for your comments.

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