Miguel

[Carlos Ygoa]

My son Miguel. Oil on linen, 41 x 33cm. Painted exclusively from life. There is glare on the bottom right corner...photos on the whole are not too good, but I hope they are viewable.

Comments, feedback welcome, of course.

Thanks for viewing.

Carlos

[Sharon Knettell]

Carlos,

You have taken on a task,
painting a child from life, that would send most portrait artists fleeing for the hills.

I think however, it gives a child portrait a greater directness and presence.

I do think, however that the figure needs to be place further to our right. Also the skin needs more color and brighness. I usually put rouge and lipstick on my kids. I wouldn't let them out of the house with it on but somehow it adds sparkle to the face especially if you are using a dark background.

Here is an example by Frank Duveneck called "Whistling Boy", that is a good illustration of what I mean.

[Garth Herrick]

Carlos,

I love the quiet elegance of this portrait. I agree that having worked directly from life, you have achieved a classical presence in your son, that ordinarily gets lost with the fleeting captures of photography. I love the simple color and tonal harmony. The black coat and neutral background resonate well with your son's striking dark hair and deep brown eyes. I also like the slightly understated, diminished, quiet flesh color development. Since you worked this up from life, I'm sure there is a strong, closely observed color fidelity.

While I am always fond of Frank Duveneck's paintings (he is among my favorite painters), I feel the example shown above represents a very differnt personality and feeling than what you are striving to represent. I like the quiet understated flesh tones in your portrait as they are. If you feel you must make things brighter, I'd say, do it with caution and subtlety.

Thanks for sharing this!

Garth

[Sharon Knettell]

Calos,

I guess Garth and I are both impressed with this piece and the fact that you went throught the trouble and difficulty of painting this from life.

I do like the unusual tonality of it, especially as used in childrens pictures which in all too many cases look like candy box covers.

However I would like the face to emerge a little more, because I think it would emphasize his beautiful eyes.

I hesitate to show you an example of my work which is quite different in intent , but painted from life with a judicious amount of lip and cheek rouge added.

I think Garth gave you an excellent review and I have had a difficult time finding fault with it, but here is my two cents for what it's worth.

[Carlos Ygoa]

Sharon, Garth:

Thank you both for viewing and for your comments. Had to laugh at the lipstick and rouge part...was thinking of how my son would have reacted if I so much as suggested it to him (!!!)Afraid it would not have been an option.

He was actually quite easy as a model. Had to bribe him with his choice of videos, though. Phil Collins' "But Seriously" concert and Journey 2001 concert (really). Just asked him to look at me with his eyes when I was doing that area.

Garth, thank you for your elocuent critique. The dark coat was a last minute change. He had on a much lighter garment originally, but it disturbed me quite a bit 'cos it just wasn't working.

Sharon, I would love to see anything you have to offer as examples, so please don't hesitate. That is a very nicely achieved head, and full front makes it doubly respectable in my book.I'll tell my son that someone out there thinks his eyes are beautiful.

Thanks again,

Carlos

[Sharon Knettell]

Carlos,

I have had a makeup artist apply 'mens' lipgloss and rouge to a CEO of a major company and a wife do the same for her CEO.

It sounds silly but a major American portrait artist Stuart ( the classic Washington portrait ) had his clients wear it.