Portrait in Progress..

Mary Sparrow · 11-11-2005, 01:45 PM

Lara..I it is SOOOOOOOOOOOO close, I bet the parents would be thrilled as is. I was LOOKING for something to tell you.

Lara Cannon · 11-11-2005, 05:56 PM

Thanks to both of you for your replies. I really do like to hear comments about how I can improve. After hours of looking at something it is hard to "see" it any more. I will post the final when the shirt is done.

Thanks--please don't hold back on the criticisms. You couldn't possibly be as critical of my work as I am.

Lara

Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco · 11-12-2005, 11:06 AM

Lara, I really like this work too. On the point of view of construction I think there are minor differences with the references, so minor that you might as well ignore them, as Claudemir said the work is better than the photo! Perhaps the shape of the head might miss a slight bit at our top right.
Maybe you could accentuate the cast shadow, so to lose the edges even more in the dark part. Don't be afraid of being bold!
Very nice work anyway!
Ilaria

Richard Monro · 11-12-2005, 03:28 PM

Lara, this is a great job from a very poor reference photo. No criticism from this end.

Lara Cannon · 11-13-2005, 06:57 PM

Thanks for the responses and tips. I re-worked the core shadow just a bit and brought in the forehead. The head construction was off and I really would like to push the drama. I really appreciate all of the help and encouragement.

I am working away on the fabric and now I hope to art it up a bit. I am disappointed by it's photographic quality. What is the point of creating a bad copy of a mediocre photograph? I am feeling less and less like an Artist with a capital "A" these days. Do any of you feel this way? My clients are pretty happy with the portraits but I am feeling a bit soulless as I grid out photographs and copy and correct for hours on end.

Perhaps it is time to break away from photographs and work from live a models...? That sounds just sounds like such a big leap.

Janet Kimantas · 11-13-2005, 07:30 PM

Lara, to my eyes you have done a superior job from inferior reference. When you figure out how to get a subject, who is paying for the work, to sit for hours while it is completed, let us know. We'd all be better off working from life. !!!
Janet

Michele Rushworth · 11-13-2005, 07:38 PM

Hi Lara,

I hope you're enjoying Maine. We're having a typically pouring down rainy fall day here in the Northwest. I'm sure you don't miss that!

This is such a nice drawing from very difficult reference. There are a few things that are off though. Chiefly, he looks a lot older in the drawing because the top of the head is too small. The forehead on the right and the whole hair area should both be quite a bit higher/larger.

I also think the outer corner of the mouth extends just a little bit too far on the left. I might also reduce the definition of the teeth, too. I do a lot of smiling portraits and I never feel the teeth look right unless I make the lines between them much, much fainter than the photo.

Don't worry about being able to paint from life. The piece you did in the weekend workshop on Bainbridge was gorgeous!