Languor (closeup)
 

This is a portion of a large figurative painting I've been working on for a while. (I'm thinking of adding a section for "Figurative Painting" in my website.) This was painted from a photo taken under natural north light from high windows.

Oil on panel (ABS mounted to masonite), 48" x 30".

Marvin, no cadmiums were injured or killed during the course of this painting. ;)

Linda, this is wonderful! Your best yet . I love the softness in the face. Thanks for posting the closeup. Good title too.

Having been previously titillated with the full composition, I can report that it is fabulous. To my eye, every component is well thought out and wonderfully executed.

Linda,

I'm also thinking of adding your figuratives to a new section on my web site.

WOW! I'm coming straight over to see the entire piece!

Linda, you've really incorporated so much subtlety and beauty. There's a real sense of depth and atmosphere. Simply gorgeous.

Hi Linda, you've raised the bar here. Where can I see the whole piece? This is breathtaking.

Jean

Linda, this is absolutely wonderful. You have captured great life in the eyes. Of course I want to see the entire piece. I might have to pay a "happened to be in the neighborhood" visit to your studio soon....

Sincerely,

Linda,

Stunning work! The warm areas are perfectly placed. Can't wait to see the entire painting.

Linda,

This is simply stunning! I eagerly await a link to view the whole composition. Maybe we should all join a chorus and congratulate you in unison!

Garth

Linda:
Teach your pet this word:
Master piece!
( Linda's pet is a parrot. Linda lives in Phoenix, a name she herself is well qualified)

I've seen the entire piece also - SO beautiful! Linda, as my kids say: "You ROCK!"

Wonderful Life in this!
 

Where can we view the whole painting??

Mike McCarty borrowed it for research purposes. Just kidding. This is not a nude, by the way; she's wearing a big piano shawl that's been showing up in a lot of my recent paintings.

I've been studying art anatomy as much as possible for the past year or so and I'm trying very hard to achieve believable flesh. Tony Ryder says somewhere in his book to think of life "bulging" within the skin, life trying to escape from the confines of a very thin wrapping. This imagery has helped me immensely in thinking about how to paint flesh.

I'm currently redesigning my website to include a spot to put all these paintings.

I've sent this image around to artists such as Kim, who are experimenting with ABS. I found out that these big, heavy panels with sharp edges can have a guillotine effect when they fall on top of you when you have them hoisted up high, so beware.

You are all so kind to say these things about this painting, and you've made me very happy today. Thank you.

Wow Linda, this is stunning. I can see the graceful movements of the painters dance in this too.

I think you certainly add the topic to your site.

Can you talk us through the rest of the painting? Was this done in the first room on the left? :)

My hero!

Linda,

Up until about one hundred years no cadmium paints even existed. Many people believe that the old masters were far superior to today's artists. It is generally accepted that this was solely a function of their training. Far be it from me to draw any conclusions.

Nicely done.

Linda, was this a commissioned piece? If not, how did you find the model?

Beautiful softness of the face and wonderful color- I can't wait to see the entire piece!

Linda, Linda, Linda...this is just gorgeous :thumbsup: ! Can we see the whole thing?

Linda,

The colors are beautifully and I am slowly beginning to realize that skin color maybe has to do more with value than hue.

Allan

Linda, this is gorgeous - so moody and introspective and convincingly real. Along with adding my kudos to those of the others, and also wanting to see the entire figure, may I ask what your palette was for the flesh here? I've tried to eliminate cads and can't seem to make the flesh tones warm enough without them. I'd love to know what you used to achieve such marvelous and convincing shades.

Linda,

I forgot to ask - what was the thickness of your ABS? masonite? I havent used my panel yet as I found my 1/4" one too heavy for the 30x60" piece I was planning. I want to cut it down smaller and use it for others, but it is not light is it?

Linda, this is really beautiful! Love how you reflected the warmth of the flesh. I agree with all the others, would love to see the whole composition!

Michele, this wasn't a commission. I am shameless about asking people to pose for me, paid or unpaid. (By the way, I've found that many people will let you take photos and paint figure work if you promise not to show, or to change, the face.)

Leslie, I'm always tinkering with the colors on my palette. Here's what I used:
Flake White (Michael Ozog paint, which I think is no longer made)
Yellow Ochre
Naples Yellow Deep (Old Holland)
Transparent Red Earth (Gamblin)
Irgazine Ruby (Michael Ozog paint; this is a permanent subsitute for Alizarin)
Cerulean Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Permanent Sap Green
Raw Umber
Portland Gray (Gamblin)
Ivory Black (very sparingly used, and not in flesh tones at all)

I'm about to do an outdoor painting of this model and I'll use my outdoor palette, which will probably include Indian Yellow and Dioxazine Purple.

Beth, I can't do a figure photo shoot in those small rooms because I get too much photo distortion unless I am really far away from the model. [Sharon, if you're reading this, I always read your posts about distortion in the figure very carefully.] I hung linen sheets around the living room for the background of this painting.

Kim, this is 1/16" ABS contact-cemented to 1/4" Masonite (a two person job, by the way). I cut the 1/16" myself with an Exacto knife from a big roll that I have. I still like ABS but I have to say that my new favorite surfaces are the New Traditions linen panels. In my case, the ground of a painting has an enormous impact on the finished piece; it affects how I handle paint, how far I can get on a finish, etc. . I'm painting a portrait from life right now on a linen so grainy that it looks like another artist painted it.

I wanna see the rest of her!
 

Skin tones to die for. I love the puzzling look on her face, she looks like a thought has just passed through her mind. A woman, not vacuous, contemporary and real.

I think it takes a lot of courage to push the envelope today, when practicality and clients push you to the wall. We have to be willing to do those paintings that give free range to our soul and in doing so give others the courage to leap!

Good for you and for us.

Adding my WOW to this long list of wow's. I think you have a winner here Linda!

The entire painting is now on my website under the 'Figuratives' section, to which I'm still making additions: www.lindatraceybrandon.com/figurative2.htm