Portrait of my daughter

[Mark Gil]

This 16x20 is of my daughter titled "The Night Before the Next Day Back At School". Please share with me your critiques.
Thanks, Mark Gil

[Daniel Arredondo]

Dear Mark,

You have a beautiful daughter and I like the light source from below. Your draftsmanship is excellent, but the main problem with this very nice painting is value and color.

Value-the shadow side is too dark and the light side too light, I suspect you used a photo. It is OK but since she is your daughter have her sit with the same lighting for you. You will find that the natural eye sees much more in the shadows. The backgrownd is probably a little darker since the light source is in front and below her with the back wall being further away less light will get to it making it darker in value than the lights of the face. Etc. etc.

Color- I noticed that you seem to use the same shadow colors for the three paintings you asked to critique. This would be a very rare coincidence. I think you are using memorized colors and not really looking at the colors on your subject. There are only three primary colors and the best way to adjust your colors is by asking yourself should it be redder, yellower or bluer. Look for greens, purples, orages in the face, they are always there we just have to learn to see them.

Hope this helps.

Daniel

[Mark Gil]

Dear Daniel,
Thanks for the critique. Your right about the colors and values. Trying to break these bad habits are more difficult than I thought. I started back painting about a year ago, after an eight year lay-off. But, I'm determined to stick with it and eventually paint full-time.
Thanks, advice welcomed.

Mark Gil