Dear Renee,

This is an exciting subject, and you are doing a great job!

I have one comment, which is better illustrated by working in Photopaint. The eyes could be out of alignment, and the left cheek (her right). See what you think.

I have lassoed the sections and moved them. THe viewers left eye down, the right eye up, and the right eyebrow up. I have rotated the left eye a bit. I hope you don't mind my doing so. These tiny changes can make a big difference.

In general, making a good painting from a poor snapshot is a task that would challenge even the talent of Rembrandt...it will be necessary for you to invent such a huge portion of this painting...a daunting task for anyone.

If you can, you might want to do more photos - shot with good lighting on your subject. You also might want to include a background that makes more visual sense.

You will probably need several reference photos for this painting. And be sure and get another photo of the model showing her eyes open.

Also, you might want to rework the anatomy around the neck...in the closeup she looks as if she is wearing a thick garment.

I was a little disappointed not to see her bare feet! I think you have been very faithful to the photo, and agree with comments above adressing ways to improve on the railing and value range. lol... For a ship effect, you might decide on a mid-thigh horizon line and add a dark water element... I would also flatter the subject with a slightly thinner waistline... Please post progress! It's already beautiful!

Renee, I have studied you picture again and have a few suggestions if you wish to put her at sea. Nothing says water like a few gulls in the distant sky. Also if you were to add a strip at the bottom where the hull meets the deck with rivets it would suggest a ship without adding a lot of "shippy" additions to the body of your picture. The rail will be gold you say? I believe Victorian era ships often had brass railings, so it's not far from the mark, but I would add a second horizontal and one or two vertical rails, make it thicker and add collars and rivets where the joints meet.

I's an arresting picture and I'm sure your friend will love it. Can't wait to see the progress :)

Renee, I hope that all I have said in my previous posts doesn't sound like I'm picking on you. However, these posts do reflect my frustration that I could not begin to paint from this source photograph. You have photographed a pretty face but even that must change when you imagine the eyes to be open.

And I am embarassed to say that I finally realized that I cannot be helpful here. Personally I have crashed and burned on so many paintings that I have begun with poor or incomplete resources. It took me a long time (too long) to understand what ingredients/resources I need to make a decent painting.

I have finally gotten to a point in my work where "how to paint" is less of a problem than "wnat to paint."

Mike McCarty has a good idea posted here: http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...=&threadid=835

His suggestion really sums up the frustration I feel with much of the resource materials I see.

Most of the posts responding to this painting seem to agree that the pose has potential but the source photograph is too flawed to use as a reference. I would suggest these are very talented artists responding and that you should return to your client for more studies, more photographs.

I've found that as a beginner I'm in such a rush to get to the canvas that I sacrifice the foundation of the work: tonal studies, thumbnails exploring light, etc. I'm starting to see why it takes so long to paint a piece in oil on canvas!!

Thank you all so much for your informative posts! You have no idea how much I appreciate this input. In college, most of the focus is on landscapes and abstract. The fact that I use brushes smaller than a 6 is considered "too fussy" and "details interfere with creativity."

Lon, feel free to fiddle with the image. I also noticed the left cheek and left eye. I think if the pupil of the left eye is lowered slightly this will help. I don't know if the eye is out of line because, the way I see it and I may be wrong, is that the eyes are at a 90 degree angle with the nose. Maybe I've just looked at it too much!

Jeanine, in one of the photos (the one I have used for the bottom of the dress) her toes are peeking out from beneath the dress. I loved look of the ornate gown with bare feet. Unfortunately, when I did the initial drawing on canvas it was too big and I couldn't fit in the foot without making her look WAY to short. I'll have to change the name to something that explains the setting. And yes I will definately trim the waistline.

Karin, no I don't think you are picking on me. The more feedback I receive the better. Please continue to critique my work and don't hold anything back.

I won't be able to get more resource photos because she just moved to Ohio.

Mari, Sandy, Michael, I like your suggestions for the background and will play with some sketches to see how it works. I don't know about the life preserver though Michael, it's a little too Titanic for me. ;)

Thanks again,
Renee Price

One thing I learned from my grandfather was never to give up on a painting. You have put alot into it already. It will not take long at all to get this all in order. It has alot of promise.

Renee,

I love your Contessa. I am not doing a critique as I do not feel experienced for such a feat. I agree with the idea of it appearing to be on a ship and for that reason, that is why I like it so. The Drama. I would like to add that if it is a commission, then all has to be to perfection for the client but if it is for yourself, meaning that you are doing a figure painting purely for the painting of it---then I personally feel that you have "license" to do whatever. Of course, this is only my opinion because I like "mystery" paintings, so to speak. I like the viewer to use their imagination as to the why she is there alone, on a ship, dress blowing in the wind. Personally if it was my painting (not commission) I would go with it, mood and all. I do not think one needs proof of or explanations in the form of life savers, hulls, etc. Where is the imagination?Sorry Michael and Karin. Again I repeat if this is a commission, I stand corrected.

I tend to disagree that you have to have a perfect reference to tell a story. But then if I have missed it somewhere and this is a commission portrait, then yes, you may need more reference.

Good Luck,
Patt