New Class: Portraits

Last night I started a new class working with portraits.  The face is my favorite thing to paint.  I have only really attempted one portrait, and I was not satisfied with the over modeled nature of my poor accomplishment.  One artist, Lance Richlin, indicates that an artist will become more confident after working on 60 heads (about 5 hours each to achieve a strong realistic image).  I obviously have much work ahead of me.  With this in mind, I signed up for a course with John Kilroy in Rockland.  I admire the expression, movement, color, and skill in his work.  I painted this in three hours:

Obviously, it isn't a finished product, but I learned much about values and procedure already after only one night!

QAA Study

Another unfinished work.  I do believe I began to achieve some depth in the model's form.  Kris from QAA allowed me to take a photo, so I may work on her some more.  I hate to go back into it, though, without the model present.  I am thinking I could develop the hat without detracting from what I achieved with the figure.  If I ruin it?  Oh, well.  It is only a study.

The beads of rain enhance the subject :).

QAA Figure Study

Continued use of limited palette-venetian red, ultramarine, yellow ochre, titanium white.  A little liquin is used, too.  Support is a primed wood panel. I stayed for the entire 3 hours this week.  I think I nailed the foreshortening!

 

GREAT MODEL!  She remained motionless the entire time.  

Cropped Composition

Study at QAA:

Magistra Lanzi II

Mouth put into the the correct position:

Payne's Grey and White

I have been struggling with tones, so I went back to simple Payne's grey and white.  I got a likeness of the model.  It was a quick hour-hour and fifteen minute session at QAA.

Lingerie

Before I started painting seriously, I started copying an image given to me by a friend.  I never finished, but a few weeks ago, my friend saw what I had started and indicated that she liked it better than the original.  Though I am so against copying other's images, I feel this one is OK, since I was just practicing, as a student might copy an old master's work.  I still may change the background color, but we shall see.