Mariah for Critique

[Stacey McEwen]

Well, I finally sent this away and the parents really loved it, so I wanted to thank all of you who commented

Before I sent it, I fixed the weird shape of her irises (thanks Michele - I hadn't even noticed that!!) and lost the edge of her hair in the upper left. I actually ended up leaving the background dark because I thought it would go well in their house. Unfortunately, I was so excited to get it to them that I forgot to shoot any photos of it - oops!

Anyhow, thanks again for all of your help - I can't even begin to say what a valuable resource this forum is.

[Michele Rushworth]

Stacey this is such a lovely piece that you absolutely must get top quality photos taken of it for your portfolio. Depending on where they live you should photograph it next time you are in their area.

If they live too far away you should try and arrange with them to take it to a professional photographer's studio (one who is experienced in lighting and photographing flat art) and have them shoot a 4x5 of it or get a high res digital scan of it, at your expense of course.

This one is too good to get away!

[Stacey McEwen]

Michele,

Fortunately I'll be visiting them in January, so I'll make sure I take a set of high quality photos while I'm there. It's really the only painting I've done so far that I'm willing to use for my portfolio so I really do need to get photos of it!!

[Patricia Joyce]

Congratulations Stacey on your first completed oil portrait!!

It really is beautiful, I can imagine how pleased the parents are, and tickled you must be - and eager to start on your next project! I have not attempted a portrait in oils, and am not near ready, (concentrating on graphite and charcoal) so I'm living a bit vicariously. I could only hope to be as successful as you have been with this beautiful first painting.

Can't wait to see what's next for you!!!!
Happy Holidays!
Pat Joyce
(used to be Meyers)

[Stacey McEwen]

Hi Pat,

Thank you for the kind words. I should clarify that this isn't my first painted portrait - I've done four before this one for friends/family and I'm now embarassed to have them hanging in people's houses. They were done from others' photos with frontal flash, toothy grins, etc... I have learned so much just from reading the posts on this forum that I wish I could go steal them back from everyone! I used to work in graphite and charcoal until I took a beginning painting class and fell in love with the fact that I could cover up my mistakes

On a side note, I always grin when you sign your name - I also use my maiden name for anything art related, and it always confuses the people who only know me by my married name. They always look at the signatures on my paintings and ask who painted them!

[Patricia Joyce]

Hi Stacey,
I have to ask if you have had any previous art training or if you are self taught. I am really tempted to sign up for an oil class in the spring, am still "shopping" but I am feeling more and more eager to get started in color. When I was in high school, MANY years ago I painted a few landscapes in oils. Never took a class, but loved the whole feel of oils and knew some day I would come back to them.

Are you working with someone's palette which you learned about? How extensive is it?

Take care -
Pat Joyce
Yeah, I confuse everyone with my name!!!

[Stacey McEwen]

Hi Pat,

I started drawing in high school, but then I pretty much dropped art while I was in college. After I graduated a couple of years ago I took a local community college beginning oil painting class, which was only good for giving me basic info on what supplies are required - overall, the instructor didn

[Terri Ficenec]

Stacey - just hoping you'll post the photos of the finished painting, once you get them. You've done a really nice job capturing her!

Congratulations!