I desire to learn the geometry of the face. I have been working on two portraits with Edwina, which are taking time. So, for the last long pose session at QAA, I decided to paint the model's face. I know it is not perfect, but I think it is a pretty good start. Most other times I have attempted to paint the face, I have used a photograph for reference with the exception of the most recent portraits. This time, I only had a few hours, but I worked from life, which made a huge difference for me. I realize if I were to complete this portrait, I would need to work on it much more, but here is a beginning:
She is a bit cartoonish, but it was the best I could do in such a short amount of time. Her eyes aren't quite right, but I have some overall depth in the painting. The background was originally viridian, but the color detracted from the face. When I got home, I added a cadmium red light wash to tone it down. I like the compositions of the portraiture of Susanna Coffey, so I decided not to impose a traditional one here.
BTW, I realize the left eye of the model is too far over, and the left wing of her nostril is too large, but I hesitate to work on her some more without having the model in front of me. At least I recognize some of the issues, which is a step in the right direction.
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