What a rich experience

[Patricia Joyce]

Because this was a full figure painting I only had an hour or so to work on the head. We had the life model for a total of six hours. Working in color and with oils, even at my level of inexperience (second oil painting, first painting from life experiece), was an incredibly satisfying experience. I have chickened out from posting in critiques - I know there is a lot wrong with proportion.

[John Crowther]

I think you've done a terrific job, Pat, and can be very proud. Strong value contrast makes it "pop," excellent sense of form, very satisfying color choices, nice rhythm and flow to the lines. -- John C.

[Sharon Knettell]

Way to go Pat!

It is really hard to paint a figure in that few hours. I just erased some legs I spent drawing from my model and they took me 3 hours. You have done an exemplary job. It IS very satisfying and enriching and does help those efforts that are done from photos.

[Patricia Joyce]

Thank you John and Sharon, you've made my day!! I feel blinded to any ability to critically look at this piece because my reaction is all emotion - the class hours just flew like minutes and because I had such limited time, I approached the project boldly, fearing nothing. And, if you knew me, well, this is VERY atypical for me.

[Chris Saper]

Dear Pat,

I think you have really done a great job in this portrait from life! I think one of the most difficult things about painting from life is the frenzied need to go too fast. In my experience, the things you have handled successfully are RARELY executed in life sessions.

Here's what I think you have overcome:

-Successful figure placement and overall composition. So rarely do painters take the time up front to think through the placement of the figure on the canvas, and yet it is a decision ( whether purposeful or by default) that can't be corrected later.

-You have lush passages of line quality and texture, that I don't think can happen by design ( although they certainly should! )

-Your negative spaces contribute greatly to the overall composition.

Paint more from life. Sharon is so very right, it's impossible to successfully paint from photos without the hours of life drawing.

Happy holidays.

[Patricia Joyce]

Thank you, Chris. I am so flattered by these comments and it makes me wonder about several things. When I was taking life drawing there was little time to think much about anything more than getting it down, just like this painting. And I learned that happy accidents happened often. My gestural drawings or 5 min drawings were almost always better than the long poses.

Perhaps this comes with experience, but how does one learn to let the creative juices flow, the spontanaety, while reigning in for control over likeness, proportion, etc. I suppose this is a naive question but I am always mystified and delighted when a piece I have done with more instinct/emotion, than critical thought is somewhat successful. Hmmm...maybe this is a subject for Cafe Guerbois...

Thank you again John, Sharon, and Chris, for your encouraging support.