Apple Girl

[Timothy C. Tyler]

This is 20X16" oil on panel; "Apple Girl"

[Michele Rushworth]

Beautiful!

[Kimberly Dow]

Wonderful Tim.

Tim, it's gorgeous, and obviously the work of a master craftsman.

Still, I want to ask you about your choices and intentions. In the web image, obviously a pale comparison, the highlights run in a column, with equal weight from the apples to the right side of the hair, and to the rim of the hat. Also, the highlighted fingernail at the bottom adds to this effect. Is this in the original? Is that linear effect intentional (or just web phenomena?)? If so, how clever, and what does it mean?

Though the figure is lovely, I rather expect it from you, but I was really impressed with the cabinet in the background and the warm shadows. It seemes to generate a lot of energy, bringing that cabinet forward but not as much as the figure. Really inspiring.

The expression on her face seems reticent and withholding, which implies to me a more circular composition, as though she were struggling to hold them thar apples, though that is not what you employed. What can you tell us about the combination of the expression and her very vertical posture?

Thanks!
Lisa

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Wow, this is beautiful, the whole painting glows. Thank you.

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Thanks for the nice remarks. Lisa, let me try to answer those good questions. I think when you say "weighted" you are referring to values? ..."apples to side of the hair"? This unifies the shadows but it really was there. Many people speak of how Sargent simplied his values into masses. I think nature simplies values into masses and we artists only need to observe it correctly.

I spend a lot of time posing hands these days. I like Bouguereau hands and I have come to the decision that he spent lots of time "arranging them". I also have at least 4 layers of paint on all the skin tones. I ignore some things I see and with the highlights on her hands I select the best ones.

The background I painted 3 times too. I wanted these values to be middle range and I made the cabinet a tone of green slightly earthier than her eyes and the apples. (The cabinet was not green in truth). The pinks and reds in her face now are worth more for being so rare within the painting.

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Oh, one more reply, the angles and vertical lines of the background are meant as foils to the soft rounds and circles of the central figure.