|
Gerry,
Your painting is heading into a value design markedly different from the reference. It's difficult to tell whether that's intended, or whether this is still very tentative.
If you intend fidelity to the values and the value design in the reference, I'd recommend trying to get those values pinned down on as close on the "first draft" as possible. Every single value area will play off of its relative intensity compared to adjacent areas, so I'd try to get a close match straight away. Otherwise a misreading on one area will build up into relative misreadings into other areas. Squint at the photo you posted, as see how much lighter the entirety of your painting is than the reference. Continue to squint as you compare small areas of value, as well as small sections of the drawing. Keep squinting and compare those small areas to the small areas adjacent to them. Is one too light, or too dark? Is a line a little too high or a point a little too far or near, compared to the known and satisfactory reference point (say, the corner of the eye) in another area?
You have a value chart worked out alongside, which will help some -- the problem is that only two or three of those value squares come close to the values in your reference. Get in there and work the darkest range of values, or else you can't hope to translate from samples to work. A square of black wouldn't be out of place, and then work up a few value squares from that.
Punch two 1/4-inch holes in a dark, nonreflective piece of paper and hold the paper so that you can see your reference area through one hole and your painting area through the other. The difference will be readily apparent. Compare the reference photo to the painting, the reference to the (revised) value strip, and the painting to both. Do that check dozens of times, for each area. Eventually, with practice, you'll internalize that process and be able to "see" those differences without the card.
The middle value area feels kind of safe, but don't be shy about getting your darks in there. Don't be afraid of the lights, either, but make sure they belong. I'm not sure what's going on with the earring on our left, but it's about 8 values too light, if it's to fit in with the value design created by the available light over this particular form.
If you can continue to post progress shots, you may profit from the in-progress observations of other sets of eyes.
|
Linear Mode
