Wine for Two...

**alangraham** · #1 05-08-2012, 07:35 PM

8x10 on board started today. Wanted to do a wine one without just a bottle or glass. It's still pretty rough as I need to let the Gamsol settle before touching up and adding my signature black outline.

I also feel I'm getting better at people, that is in my style. I still avoid doing intricate faces as you can see I left the eyes out. I think it works, though, without eyes. Will look better once I add the black outline.

As for Gamsol oil/solvent, this is about my 5th painting or so using it. So far, so good. I really like how it lets me move the ops around. I use a rubber silicone thingy (not sure the real name) which I believe is intended for sculpting or oil paints. Either way, I do like them. In fact I haven't used my fingers in a painting since I began. The Gamsol and the blending tool really helps.

I believe the focal point to this pic would be the green bottle of wine being poured.

regards,

gakinme · #2 05-08-2012, 10:43 PM

Cory, I do see how you dislike eyes and face. LOL. Very nice texture in this piece.

**alangraham** · #3 05-08-2012, 11:44 PM

They're just not my specialty, you could say

.

Here it is with black acrylic outlines.

**Pat Isaac** · #4 05-09-2012, 09:40 AM

I like the intimate feel of this painting and the waiter pouring is definitely the focal point. Paintings like these make you wonder what is happening, all kinds of playouts abound.

Pat

**alangraham** · #5 05-09-2012, 10:11 AM

Thanks, Pat. I agree there is a bit of intimacy going on. Still not sure of the bottle. May sharpen it up some.

Also, do you all think the eyebrow on the woman is OK? It connects together, but I don't want an uni-brow thing going on, haha.

I think the story of this picture could be interpreted in several ways. First, it could be a romantic setting between two lovers, drinking wine before dinner. Second, (this may be a stretch) if you examine the two main characters, the man seems happy, but expecting something, too (his fingers tapping on the table). The woman, arms crossed may rather be someplace else? Just musing.

regards,

halthepainter · #6 05-09-2012, 10:34 AM

Alan two things bother me about your painting. The Lady's face is in profile and the eye on the far side of the nose (at least to me) just doesn't look right. I believe she would look better as just a profile without the depiction ot the far eye.

Her right shoulder, far shoulder, seems to slope too quickly from her neck and (once again to my eye) seems to be a distortion and distraction. I think the right arm seems to indicate a twist to the upper body??????

**alangraham** · #7 05-09-2012, 11:15 AM

Good catch, Hal. So you're saying delete the bulge/far side of her nose. How about the other eyebrow, keep it?

Yes, the shoulder has been bugging me, too. How should I fix the slope. Make a straight line from her shoulder over to her neck after the dress strap?

regards,

reeta · #8 05-09-2012, 11:36 AM

Cory,

I really like this painting.

I agree with Pat that it has the viewer wondering what is going on here. (What was the conversation we missed?)

I too, like Hal, noticed some of the problems with the woman from a technical standpoint. However, I, on the other hand, thought they were puposeful. To me, it makes her all the more interesting... she is "off" but to me it adds to the whole vibe of the painting. I like it as is. Nice work!

Just my two cents.

Ree

halthepainter · #9 05-09-2012, 02:42 PM

Corey I sent you a PM. I played with your image with a clone brush but I feel it would be inappropriate for me to post my image in your thread, hence the Private message.

**alangraham** · #10 05-09-2012, 08:19 PM

Thanks, Ree and Hal. However, I did fool around more after Hal sent me a pic.

Here is a rough sketch. The ops are really soft right now, so I'll need to let it harden tonight as I used gamsol to remove stuff.

regards,

**alangraham** · #11 05-09-2012, 08:19 PM

the pic...

halthepainter · #12 05-09-2012, 08:22 PM

I like it.

**alangraham** · #13 05-09-2012, 08:24 PM

Thanks, Hal, I liked your suggestions. As I said, I'll polish it off tomorrow. Everything is way to mushy right now, haha.

raizes · #14 05-10-2012, 10:15 AM

Love the setting. I like how you made the wine bottle green with nothing else in the painting being the same color. Just curious what brand of OP's you use. the close up pics are cool...we get to see the texture and movement in the paint.

**alangraham** · #15 05-10-2012, 10:30 AM

Rich,
I only use Sennelier's on Ampersand Pastelbord. They tend to work great, plus the surface of the Pastelbord keeps them vibrant. They do get soft and mushy at times so I had to wait last night for the reworked section to harden.

Glad you like the green of the bottle. As Pat always points out, I use compliments a lot

regards,

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