Portrait in Progress..

[Lara Cannon]

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]

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]

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!

[Lara Cannon]

Good point Janet. That comment lightened my mood a bit! You reminded my why I keep on working from photographs. No one has been willing to strap their child to a chair and force them smile at me for hours.

Nice to hear from you Michelle. I like all of your suggestions. Maine is fine--it is even colder and darker than Seattle. We are already in the 20's and this is Fall!

[Lara Cannon]

Here is where I am at with the changes:

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Lara, I think you did really well on this one. I understand all your feelings very well, I paint mainly children and went through many frustrating moments. So... I lept half way! I started with painting my children live, and now I am already on the fourth work which is started on a photo, just for the basic mapping, and completed with live sittings, and I painted my children completely live.

Well, it's sooo different, but personally I find it more interesting, challenging and I really enjoy it !

Pros: painting more interesting, relationship with subject deeper, chance of pushing the colours a bit further.
Cons: a lot more difficult, takes longer, with children can only work during weekends, painting under constant pressure of speeding up.
As I said I always have a photo as a back up, but now I couldn't really go back to painting entirely from a photo with satisfaction.
Best of luck, and give it a go!
Ilaria

[Lara Cannon]

Hello everyone,

I want to thank everyone for their help. I have come to the point where I am just going to let it be. Here is the final.


Thanks again!
Lara