Angel

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Dear Mai,

It is always fun to see how everyone on this Forum uses the advice and insight of others to push their skills to the next level. Your work speaks for itself and I congratulate you on your success.

[Jean Kelly]

Beautiful Mai,

You have done a wonderful job on this Mai. I'll come back and look at it often, you have come so far in such a short time. This technique seems to suit you well.

One thing that I like about this portrait (along with your daughter) is the use of both eastern and western decoration. The pillows are oriental silk, wallhanging decoration is obviously inspired by the orient, but the clothing on your daughter is definately the west. I love it!

Congrats,
Jean

[Mai Ly]

Thank you everybody for your kind words and encouragement!

It was a good experience for me with this piece as I have learned a lot of different ideas and techniques, both from everyone from this Forum, as well as from painting it.

It took me a long time to plan for this painting. But, as for anything, good planning yields good results, so I spent a long time doing thumnails for the composition, fixing it, planning on the value pattern as well as how the colour pattern should go for the painting. I hope I can do this faster as I go along, and with more practice. I owe a lot to Chris Saper who has helped me along with this composition.

Thanks Karin for helping me with the glazing. You are a very good teacher! I had some problems at the beginning, getting used to handling the paint and scumbling part. But, after a while I got the hang of it, and I am really glad that I have tried this technique out.

It is hard to say if I prefer the underpainting method over the direct painting method. I think the underpainting technique helped me to create some 'depth' in my paintings. My paint seems to look a bit 'thin' to my taste when I paint directly, and I am trying to improve in that area also. I also have to improve my 'brush strokes' in direct painting!

Jean, what you said was exactly what I was thinking when I planned for this painting. I am of Asian origin (half Chinese and half Vietnamese), and my husband is of Western origin (half French American and half African American), and so our children look a bit 'exotic'. The drapery and cushions were meant to show the Asian part from me, and the Western dress is to show the other half from my husband . I guess I did a good job putting my thought across in the painting!

Thank you again for everyone help and feedback with this painting. I look forward to learn more from everyone in the future.

Sincerely,

Mai

[Karin Wells]

For what it is worth, I oftentimes use an underpainting technique for the face and hands (i.e., "skin") and do a version of direct painting on the rest of my canvas. In other words, as long as it looks good it is OK to mix and match wherever you wish in order to get whatever effects you like.

[Mai Ly]

Thanks Karin for the advice. In fact, I always wondered if you glazed all your paintings (for background, clothing as well as skin) every time I visited your site.

I have actually started another full length formal painting of a young man. I was thinking of glazing the skins, as you have said, and painting directly for the suit and background. I was hoping that the direct painting will give the effect (bolder and more energy to show off his proud posture) that I would like to achieve for this young man's painting. This is my theory/reason for choosing one technique over another, due to my 'limited' experience and skills

Mai

[Elizabeth Schott]

Mai,

Bravo!

Hooray, excellent, wonderful, inspiring, subtle, sweet and flowing. I could keep gushing with every glowing adjective in the dictionary. But I think you know what I mean!

[Mai Ly]

Thanks Beth for the kind words

I hope you will have a good time at Bills's workshop next week! Too bad I was too late, so cannot make it to his class this time

Mai