Carolyn,
I also think that the portrait is excellent and only needs some harder edges at a few places as Linda suggested.

To avoid smudging the center of the drawing, when you erase, you should turn the paper so that the side you work on is downward.

Allan

Thanks again Allan. When 'm feeling less chicken I'll give it a shot. :D

~Carolyn

It's perfect!
 

Dear Carolyn,

What a fabulous portrait! It is excellent in every respect. My vote is for you to leave this portrait alone at this point and call it finished (please don't erase the furniture!!). You have just the right amount of resolution in that doll collection, which really enhances your grandmother as a setting. I love this!

Bravo!

Garth

Garth,

What a super nice post to read first thing in the morning! I was hoping that it wasn't that bad with all the furniture, because I'm so scared of erasing it. At least this has really opened my eyes to plan out future composition better. I can't wait to finish this and get on to the next one! (Here's where the little smiley icon wiping the sweat off it's forehead should go.)

Thanks so much for your response Garth, I'm so happy you like it! And so relieved you think it best to leave it alone.

Allan, thanks again for all your help. Perhaps I'll be less afraid to make changes on the next one, or hopefully do it better from the start.

Thanks again,
Carolyn

Carolyn,

Your work has grown so much! I love this piece as well.

I think that the reason that the ottoman and sandals create a problem is because they represent the sharpest edges and highest contrast, and threaten your center of interest.

You have really done a marvelous job on the figure and background, and I think preserving the background is essential. I'm attaching another croping alternative. Should you crop is such a fashion, I would minimize bothe pattern and the contrast in values in the ottoman.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the crop idea, I see what you mean about the shoes and the ottoman. Hopefully putting in other hard edges like Linda suggested will help. I think your crop could be a good way to go also. Thanks for taking the time to do that.

I'm so glad you think so! Thanks to all the wonderful posts on this site, things are finally really starting to sink in. And being able to go to so many amazing museums over here and study such incredible art!

I spend so much time just studying the work in the unveilings section, and reading past posts. It's amazing how much I've learned here, and how much more I have to learn. And lately reading a lot of comments made by Sharon about people sticking too closely to photo references, has really hit home too. So I'm going to try not to be so faithful to them and hope that will help in the future also. There are still quite a few problems with this one but just getting your comment lets me know that at least I'm going in the right direction. Slowly but surely, I hope! :)

Thanks again Chris!

Carolyn

I like Chris Saper's cropping suggestion. It gives the painting an overall more graceful look too.

I

Please Don't!
 

Dear Carolyn,

I really hope you do not crop this beautiful drawing! It is a much more compelling portrait in its original format. I feel it looses a significant amount of context and interest in the crop. To me it already has a complete and finished statement as it is. Please consider not cropping this.

Sincerely,

Garth

Hi Garth,

Do you think though with the flatness of the seat (I've tried changing the colors and values and still can't get the curve right.), and her skirt, and if I don't get her feet completed quite right it will bring down the look of the whole picture? Now, Im getting so bummed out by this one. I had such high hopes in the beginning especially with her face and hands but the more I worked on it the more mistakes I made. Now it's just sitting on the easel not being touched. I'm going to try to redo her feet, and will finish the things on the top of the cabinet that I messed up when I bumped it into the top of the easel. Then I think I need to just stop working on it and get onto the next.

Actually, maybe I'll just start the next one first. And procrastinate a little longer! ;)