Grandfathers Pride

dfp819 · #1 08-05-2012, 02:32 PM

MY IMAGE(S):

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Title: Grandfathers Pride
Year Created:
Medium: Oil
Surface: Canvas
Dimension: 17 inch x 21 inch
Allow digital alterations?: Yes!

MY COMMENTS:
This is my my second attempt at oil painting, It is painted from a photo of my grandfather that was on the front page of the Hampshire Gazette ( my local newspaper in easthampton MA ) The photo it from that years veterans day parade. He participates in the parade every year. He is very proud of his military involvement in the korean war. I am a new artist, never picked up a pencil to draw before Jan 2012, I took a drawing class...loved it, so here I am trying to teach myself to oil paint. I don't really know any painters so help would be much appreciated. Thanks for looking, thanks even more if you comment!

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP:
I would honestly like any comment on any type of problem I may have, color, composition, brushwork, contrast, likeness, anything!

dfp819 · #2 08-05-2012, 02:49 PM

sorry about the very large photo's, at least on my browser i can only see part of them at a time. So here are some resized ones...
Thanks for looking!

Bellaskye · #3 08-05-2012, 05:48 PM

For being brand new to oil painting and drawing this is great!! My only crits are to maybe add more dimension/shape and color values to his hair as it reads flat. Also inside nostrils are never black and there is always some variance in there. Keep painting you are doing wonderful! Welcome to Wet Canvas!

dfp819 · #4 08-05-2012, 05:59 PM

Thanks for the quick response, suggestions and encouragement. you are right about the hair and the nostril, I will try to fix them. I will certainly be continuing to paint!

Aires · #5 08-05-2012, 06:26 PM

Congratulations! That is a ambitious project for anyone, even more so for someone who just began drawing and painting this year. You might get some useful suggestions by posting this in the Portraiture forum paitning portraits is defintely its own specialty and the folks are good about helping newcomers with critiques and advice. Very nice choice for a painting and a very good start! One suggestion: Be sure and keep this painting as your first oil painting effort and also as a way to judge your growth as an artist in the future. Good luck an happy paitning!!!!

dfp819 · #6 08-05-2012, 06:40 PM

That is a good idea to post it in the portrait section. I will not be keeping it, however it is a gift for my grandfather (the one in the painting). So it will be in the family, and I will always have access to it. Thanks for the suggestion!

she1122 · #7 08-05-2012, 07:10 PM

I agree with the rest that this is an unbelievable first painting. I admire your drawing skills . Now mind you, this is just how I see the world, so keep that mind. I see white skin as having delicate blues,violets,yellows,touch of orange,and rose ( not red ) hues. These can be mixed or glazed over the base color. A dark blue jacket can have touches of another blue such as manganese and violet and a dot of orange on a button or thread to hint at some zing ! Nothing is one color ! Ditch the hard edges except occasionally in center of interest ! You are so good starting out ! It will be exciting to see where you go !!

dfp819 · #8 08-05-2012, 07:55 PM

Thanks a lot for the complements! Glazing in some more colors into some spots does seam like a good idea! I did also plan on at least trying a final glaze to unify the colors, but I dont know what colors to use or how strong to glaze them, I am scared to do it with to much color and ruin the painting. I will certainly post more projects as I complete them, which has been kind of slow due to scheduling and the fact I am new, and therefore quite slow.

song_bird · #9 08-05-2012, 08:06 PM

Yes, what a remarkable first painting!

What I notice is that his nostril shape is different and the white of his eye is too bright and bigger than in the reference photo, so that the iris needs a bit of adjustment. I would also suggest a nostril on the man behind him.

Very well done! He will be thrilled!

dfp819 · #10 08-05-2012, 11:42 PM

I will see what i can do about the nostril and the eye, shouldn't be to hard to correct. thanks!

Debzy · #11 08-06-2012, 07:16 AM

Yes welcome and well done! Very brave of you and a great attempt, I think it's fabulous! Cheers =)) Debs

Erica Shipley · #12 08-11-2012, 04:57 PM

I agree with the rest of the comments and wanted to add that the lip reflection looks more like he only has two bottom teeth and they are overgrown...Like beaver or rabbit teeth but pointing up.

I wasn't sure what it was till I saw the original photo. Now I know it should be a lip reflection. Maybe his mouth is to open or the reflection should be closer to his lip color and more subtle?

I think this is an amazing portrait though and I personally couldn't do it as well as you did in paint but I am a pencil person. I bow to you!

Erica Shipley · #13 08-11-2012, 05:01 PM

I just realized that you painted the head and chest of the guy on the other side of him but did not paint the part of the guys uniform that sticks up to the collar. Maybe that's whats throwing my eye off with his mouth also. Not saying to add that as I don't know but it makes his mouth a stronger contrast then if the lighter color was painted up that high.

Debzy · #14 08-11-2012, 05:16 PM

Wow! Yes I see what you mean Erica! Well noted! dfp819 if you were even to just get rid of that little bit of white, and make it dark like the background, the mouth would not appear to have teeth and probably look better. Either that or paint in a little more of the person behind to get the idea that there is someone there and that would also fix the teeth issue. Cheers =)) Debs.

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