Sargent: Portrait Challenge for April & May - Extended into June! - Page 14

Moises Menendez · #**196** 03-23-2013, 06:53 AM

I am considering this work as a big challenge and still a WIP. I started last weekend and I am still working on it. I became fascinated in how this artist worked with his brushes and a limited palette. He used ivory black according to many experts and I had a hard time using dark colors since pastel does not have deep dark tones unless black is used. I used a lot of black in order to bring the values to a decent level.
I used an Ampersand board, 16x19, gray toned. I started with the hard pastels, then followed by the Unison and Schminke, and pastel pencils occasionally. I would like to have some C & C.

AmritS · #**197** 03-23-2013, 09:25 AM

Incredible. Do you think you'll do one in oils? Would love to see that.

Carmel Campbell · #**198** 03-23-2013, 09:53 AM

It is really good. I like your pastel strokes. Has a painterly feel. Very nice. Terry Ludwig pastels have some wonderful darks. Although I think you did well with black.

fivespices · #**199** 03-23-2013, 09:55 AM

Moe,

This is incredible! You have excellent control of the light and dark. Like the colors around both eyes, the violet on the our right eye lid. I am very happy with it if it were mine. Do not know too much to suggest more improvement.
Looking forward to learn what more could be done. Thanks for sharing.

Kim

Moises Menendez · #**200** 03-23-2013, 10:13 AM

Amrits: Thank you for your comment. I wish I could try oils but due to my job I could not find the time to dedicate to oil alone for obvious reasons. In fact, many years ago I painted "Lady Agnew" using oil. I may show it one of these days.
Carmel: Thank you for your comments. Yes, my wife who is my main critique, mentioned to me that the painting resemble an oil work. She is no painter! By the way, I used American Works pastels, but again, I have to use black soft pastels.
Kim: Thank you for your comments. Since you mentioned the darks and lights, I am obsessed on values! I feel that values are probably more important than colors(personal opinion), and I will do anything to render the proper values to a portrait. I have read many books and magazines regarding values, and lately, the use of "NOTAN" for portraits, which is how paintings can use the harmony of the darks and the lights.

Moises Menendez · #**201** 03-23-2013, 01:04 PM

Hi,
I decided to give some touches to this portrait especially at to his left ear so it will be less conspicuous and follow the angle of the face. I also increased the values at the forehead, and I think I am now done. Thank you.

fivespices · #**202** 03-24-2013, 02:58 PM

Moe,

Thanks for the update. I do see the value increased in the forehead and I love both the before and after. You technical skill make the pastel strokes look so fluid. My current teacher has a painting with strokes just like that.

I like my teacher, he can do pastel, oil, charcoal etc.

May I ask, in what book the "NOTAN for portaits" are demonstrated. Or where can I read more about this? It sound very interesting. Thanks

Kim

Moises Menendez · #**203** 03-24-2013, 03:53 PM

Thank you Kim.
NOTAN is a Japanese word that means something like harmony of the darks and lights. In fact, I saw the definition and the application in one of the forums in wetcanvas, and I believe it was in EXPLORE SUBJECTS, FIGURE, THE. Of course, if you google notan for portraits it will give you the different websites that you can attend to. I think that the concept of Notan is mainly applied for still life and landscaping, subjects that I am not very familiar with.
I also believe that the old masters like Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Velasquez, and Sargent, to name a few, use the concept of dark and light to their advantage and to their greatness in portraiture.

Salute to our Partners