This is a class assignment to copy a Master. Since I have so much information about Girl with a Pearl, reading everything here and at other places on the internet I decided she would be the best choice for my first oil portrait.
I spent all day Saturday doing this underpainting and having absolutely the best time of my life!!
I know there are areas that need work before the underpainting is finished (jawline, mouth, blouse, turban at forehead, etc., etc,)
With all the reading I have done about underpainting and the way I understood Vermeer, my question is this, should I take the darks darker? I read somewhere (Karen Wells??) that the lights should not be too light and that the darks not too dark. However, Vermeer actually put black in the turban and the darkest darks on his underpainting. I am wondering if I should attempt the same???
Any other help would be greatly, greatly appreciated. Oh yeah, I am aware I took the ear and earring too far, that the whole side in shadow should be flat. It's just that I started to have some fun with my new paintbrushes and paint!!! So I took out a small canvas board messed around.
OH MY, DID I HAVE FUN!!!!!!